Activist Greta Thunberg joins French student protests

What the report says

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg joined student protests in France on Tuesday, appearing at Paul Eluard high school in Saint-Denis, a Paris suburb that has become a focal point of the movement, according to Al Jazeera and AFP. The demonstrations are part of a wider nationwide student mobilisation calling for better conditions in schools and colleges.

The protests began late last month and have centered on complaints about school buildings, teacher shortages, packed timetables and other problems in the education system. Students have blocked school entrances in multiple cities, while unions and the left-wing party France Unbowed have backed Tuesday’s actions. Al Jazeera reported that around 200 schools were closed on Tuesday, fewer than the previous week, and that some were shut as a precaution near protest routes.

The article said the movement has also drawn a strong police response. The education ministry said eight teachers were injured on Monday, and the justice ministry said more than 6,800 people, mostly minors, have been taken into custody since the protests began. Authorities have also opened 24 investigations into alleged police brutality. Lawyers formed a protective chain around students in Saint-Denis after such allegations.

Thunberg said young people were being left out of decisions affecting their future. Her appearance adds international visibility to a domestic protest wave that could spread further, with wider anti-cost-of-living rallies also expected later in the week.