Greta Thunberg joins French student protests

Greta Thunberg joined French students demonstrating outside Lycée Paul Éluard in Saint-Denis on Tuesday, October 13, as pupils across France protested over school conditions and called for improvements to the education system. The Swedish activist stood among students at the school, in a suburb north of Paris where the movement gained traction. She told reporters young people were not being included in discussions and that their future was being robbed. Unions and university students backed the demonstrations, which were planned to include marches in Paris and other cities. Students have cited teacher shortages, dilapidated school buildings and overcrowded schedules among their grievances. The protests began in late September and have involved demonstrations and blockades at schools. More than 70,000 people took to the streets at the movement’s previous major protest last Thursday, according to reports from the time. Education Minister Édouard Geffray said Tuesday morning that about 200 schools were closed, fewer than the previous week. He said some closures were precautionary because schools were near planned protest routes.