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Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA     (greta-thunberg-student-protest-paris-france.html#img-1)   View image in fullscreen       Students and union members march in Montpellier on Tuesday. Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA       (https://www.theguardian.com/world/france) France     At least 160,000 people take to streets in third week of French school protests   Swedish activist Greta Thunberg joins teenagers calling for investment to fix teacher shortages and crumbling schools         (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/jonhenley) Jon Henley and  (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/angeliquechrisafis) Angelique Chrisafis in Paris   Tue 13 Oct 2026 13.08 EDT  First published on Tue 13 Oct 2026 06.03 EDT   (mailto:?subject=At least 160,000 people take to streets in third week of French school protests&body=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/13/greta-thunberg-student-protest-paris-france?CMP=share_btn_url) Share          (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=theguardian.com) Prefer the Guardian on Google          More than 160,000 schoolchildren, students and trade unionists have marched in cities across (https://www.theguardian.com/world/france) France as protests over high school education continued into a third week and many demonstrators denounced policing tactics. Riot police fired teargas at the end of Tuesday’s marches in Nantes and near the Montparnasse area of Paris, but most of the demonstrations over (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/06/how-dilapidated-french-schools-inequality-education-system-protests) teacher shortages, overcrowded classes and crumbling school buildings held in cities including Lyon, Lille and Marseille were peaceful.  The Swedish climate activist (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/greta-thunberg) Greta Thunberg joined an early morning protest outside the Lycée Paul Éluard in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. “Young people are not being included in the conversation,” said Thunberg, 23, who became famous as a teenager through school strikes demanding action on the climate crisis. As lawyers in their robes formed a human chain to protect pupils after (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/06/french-student-protests-barricades-paris-police) accusations of police brutality , Thunberg said: “Our future is being stolen from us and, as we have seen here, schools are not getting the investment they need.”       (Thunberg, with a keffiyeh around her shoulders, speaking to students)   (greta-thunberg-student-protest-paris-france.html#img-2)   View image in fullscreen       ‘Young people are not being included in the conversation,’ said Thunberg. Photograph: CLPRESS/ABACA/Shutterstock  Students outside the high school said Thunberg had encouraged them to continue with peaceful demonstrations. The protests – backed by trade unionists, some teachers and radical leftwing opposition politicians – have shaken a government caught between calls for urgent public investment and pressure to reduce France’s ballooning deficit and debt. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/10/school-protesters-sevran-paris-suburb-france)  ‘We’re not asking for luxury’: school protesters in Paris suburb feel abandoned by French state     Read more        France’s interior ministry said 161,500 people had turned out across the country on Tuesday, while similar marches (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/06/protests-schools-blockade-streets-france) drew more than 260,000 last Tuesday and (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/08/france-student-protests-schools-vow-to-continue) 75,000 on Thursday . “They’re not listening to us, so we’re going to them,” the university students’ union UE – many of whose members are also demonstrating in solidarity, with an estimated 90% of France’s universities disrupted on Tuesday – posted on social media. High schools in Paris, Marseille and elsewhere were again blockaded. French authorities hope the protests, some of which have resulted (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/07/french-police-suspend-use-stun-grenades-high-school-protester-loses-hand) in violent clashes with riot police , will peter out during the two-week half-term school holiday that starts this weekend.       (A masked protester holds a French flag as two others behind him use their placards to shield themselves from water canon fire)   (greta-thunberg-student-protest-paris-france.html#img-3)   View image in fullscreen       Police use water cannon in an attempt to disperse protesters in Paris on Tuesday.  Photograph: Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters  Louis Létoublon of the student organisation Les Lycéens! said the protest movement had begun in (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/10/school-protesters-sevran-paris-suburb-france) deprived areas outside Paris where families were unable to afford holidays, so the autumn school vacation would not dampen anger. “We are continuing the blockades. We are not budging,” Naouel, a high school student in Brest, told Agence France-Presse. Mariolino, a 16-year-old in Nantes, said: “Those who think the anger will disappear with the holidays just don’t get it.” France is braced for more nationwide protests on Saturday, which could be joined by people angry at rising fuel and energy prices as well as the cost of living. Jérôme Rodrigues, a high-profile member of the (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/03/who-are-the-gilets-jaunes-and-what-do-they-want) gilets jaunes  (yellow vests) protest movement in 2018 and 2019, was present at the Paris march on Tuesday, and there was speculation that gilets jaunes could return to the streets on Saturday. (greta-thunberg-student-protest-paris-france.html#EmailSignup-skip-link-18) skip past newsletter promotion     Free newsletter | Weekly    Sign up to This is Europe  The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment  ()   Enter your email  ()   Sign up      after newsletter promotion         (A large protest, the frame filled with people, some of them carrying flags and banners)   (greta-thunberg-student-protest-paris-france.html#img-4)   View image in fullscreen       People march in Rennes on Tuesday. Photograph: Jeremías González/AP  “There is a lot of anger,” Rodrigues told journalists. He said people felt the government had not answered their concerns, offering only “crumbs” – whether on fuel prices or demands for more funding for schools. Sophie Binet, the head of the leftwing CGT union, said: “Our youth is determined …While there is no answer to demands, the mobilisation will continue.” (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/06/how-dilapidated-french-schools-inequality-education-system-protests)  How dilapidated are French schools and how bad is inequality in the education system?     Read more        The education minister, Édouard Geffray, who has said 3,000 substitute teachers are being deployed in schools facing the most severe staff shortages, said on Tuesday that 214 of the country’s 3,700 high schools were completely closed. French media have reported, however, that at least some classes have been cancelled or disrupted in many more schools, and some lycées – for pupils mostly aged between 15 and 18 – have switched wholly or partly to online learning. The country’s president, Emmanuel Macron, called for restraint on Monday, saying the issues “deserve time, consultations, discussion and respect”, as government figures showed more than 6,800 people – mainly minors – had been detained during the protests. About 1,500 people are being prosecuted, the justice ministry has said, while 24 allegations of police brutality against demonstrators are under investigation. More than 200 teenagers, 100 school staff and 700 police officers have been injured. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/05/schoolboy-loses-hand-police-stun-grenade-french-school-protests) One young protester lost a hand from a police stun grenade, prompting the government to ban their use during the protests, while another lost the use of an eye and a third many of his teeth from a teargas canister fired at close range. Rights groups and students have accused the police of a disproportionate use of force. The interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, defended the policing. “When demonstrations take place peacefully, there is no police intervention,” he said. Six months from a crucial presidential election to replace Macron, rival politicians are jockeying to exploit the protests. The far-right frontrunner, Marine Le Pen, has highlighted the damage to schools and called for parents ⁠to foot repair bills, while her radical-left opponent, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has praised the protesters ​as “incredible” and denounced police brutality.         Explore more on these topics (https://www.theguardian.com/world/france) France  (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/greta-thunberg) Greta Thunberg  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/protest) Protest  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) Europe  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/news) news    (mailto:?subject=At least 160,000 people take to streets in third week of French school protests&body=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/13/greta-thunberg-student-protest-paris-france?CMP=share_btn_url) Share     (https://syndication.theguardian.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2026%2Foct%2F13%2Fgreta-thunberg-student-protest-paris-france&type=article&internalpagecode=world/2026/oct/13/greta-thunberg-student-protest-paris-france) (Reuse this content) Reuse this content                  More on this story                       More on this story                      (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/10/school-protesters-sevran-paris-suburb-france)    ()      ‘We’re not asking for luxury’: school protesters in Paris suburb feel abandoned by French state   (Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 05:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 4d ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/10/france-caught-between-bond-markets-student-worker-blockades)    ()      France’s dilemma: protesters demand spending as markets require fiscal restraint   (Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 12:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 4d ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/oct/09/school-protest-france-students-political-class)    ()      double quotation mark   ‘Nobody is listening to us’: on the school protest frontline, I heard why France’s students feel disowned   (Friday, October 9, 2026 at 07:48 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 5d ago  (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/oct/09/school-protest-france-students-political-class#comments)    … … comments            (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2026/oct/08/france-teens-versus-the-riot-police-full-story-podcast)    ()      Full Story France’s teens versus the riot police – Full Story podcast   (Thursday, October 8, 2026 at 12:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 6d ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/07/french-police-suspend-use-stun-grenades-high-school-protester-loses-hand)    ()      French police suspend use of stun grenades at school protests as minister rejects accusations of brutality   (Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 04:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 6d ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/oct/06/europe-french-school-protests-paris-germany-afd-bulgaria-drones-russia-ukraine-latest-news-updates)    ()      Almost 500 people arrested during high school protests in France – Europe live as it happened   (Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 02:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 6 Oct 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/06/how-dilapidated-french-schools-inequality-education-system-protests)    ()      How dilapidated are French schools and how bad is inequality in the education system?   (Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 09:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 6 Oct 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/06/protests-schools-blockade-streets-france)    ()      Riot police fire teargas as 250,000 take part in schools protests across France   (Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 01:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 6 Oct 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/06/french-student-protests-barricades-paris-police)    ()      ‘This is state violence’: Paris students rage at politicians and heavy-handed policing   (Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 12:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 6 Oct 2026                        Most viewed      Most viewed                                                               (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) Europe   (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas) Americas  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia) Asia  (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news) Australia  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) Middle East  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa) Africa  (https://www.theguardian.com/inequality) Inequality  (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) Global development       (https://www.theguardian.com/) News  (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Lifestyle    Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning (https://www.theguardian.com/info/2018/sep/17/guardian-us-morning-briefing-sign-up-to-stay-informed) Sign up for our email     (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us) About us  (https://manage.theguardian.com/help-centre) Help  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections) Complaints & corrections  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us/contact) Contact us  (https://www.theguardian.com/tips) Tip us off  (https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop) SecureDrop  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy) Privacy policy  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies) Cookie policy  (https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2026/07/22/STL_Global_Tax_Strategy_for_the_year_to_31_March_2027.pdf) Tax strategy  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service) Terms & conditions   (https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a) All topics  (https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) All writers  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_US) Newsletters  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital newspaper archive  (https://bsky.app/profile/us.theguardian.com) Bluesky  (https://www.facebook.com/theguardian) Facebook  (https://www.instagram.com/guardian) Instagram  (https://www.linkedin.com/company/theguardian) LinkedIn  (https://www.threads.com/@guardian_us) Threads  (https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian) TikTok  (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuardian) YouTube   (https://usadvertising.theguardian.com) Advertise with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-labs-us) Guardian Labs  (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://workwithus.theguardian.com/) Work with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/accessibility-help) Accessibility settings         (greta-thunberg-student-protest-paris-france.html#top) Back to top      © 2026Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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