Greta Thunberg, the Swedish activist known for her climate alarmism, joined French students protesting school conditions Tuesday, praising their movement as France grapples with weeks of demonstrations and violent clashes.
Thunberg appeared outside a high school near the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, where students gathered early in the morning with placards and megaphones, chanting slogans. The 23-year-old activist, who first gained recognition for her own school strike over climate change in 2018, said she is there to support the teens protesting their “basic rights.”
Climate and social justice activist Greta Thunberg joined students at a high school in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, as France faced a new day of nationwide marches and strikes on top of the blockades at schools. https://t.co/gC3Zx4x3Cn
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 13, 2026
“The whole world is watching with awe for these students who are fighting back, reclaiming their future that has been taken away from them,” Thunberg said at the protest. “We are also seeing this spreading across the country and internationally as well — young people looking at this as an example.”
“Many people here, especially the young people, are told ‘Oh, you are just being problematic, you’re just causing trouble, and you don’t really know what you’re doing,’ which are narratives defined by extremely racist media and politicians,” she added.
Thunberg said the protestors “don’t need me at all,” but argued that her “privileged” position gave her a duty to support them.
“I am an extremely privileged person. I am a white person from Sweden. I am very much part of this very destructive system that systematically benefits people like me,” she said.
The student-led protests and riots began in September over poor school conditions, including overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages, and spread across France. Demonstrations have included school blockades, riots, and clashes with police.
More than 6,800 people, mostly minors, have been taken into police custody during the unrest. More than 200 teenagers, 80 school staff members, and 700 police officers have been injured.
France’s Interior Ministry estimated that 250,000 people joined the protests last Tuesday alone.
The French government has promised to address students’ complaints, but faces pressure to improve public services while reining in spending. Education Minister Édouard Geffray announced last week that the government would deploy 3,000 substitute teachers to schools with the most severe staff shortages.
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