Greta Thunberg Joins French Student Protests as Police Fire Tear Gas Amid Car Burnings

Greta Thunberg joins French student protesters as violent clashes with riot police intensify, with more than 6,100 people arrested and schools closed widely.

Greta Thunberg appeared in French school protests amid nationwide unrest

Climate activist Greta Thunberg joined student protesters in France on Tuesday after weeks of violent clashes with police, thousands of arrests and widespread school closures to demand education reforms.

More than 6,800 people have been arrested since the protests began in September, according to French officials. Demonstrators have set fires, set up barricades and clashed with riot police in cities across France, although many protests have remained peaceful.

France explodes again as students riot over education

Thunberg, who rose to fame by organizing school strikes over climate change, criticized the French government's response to the protests.

About 161,500 people marched across France on Tuesday, including 41,500 in Paris, according to Interior Ministry figures. The Ministry of Education said 214 schools were closed.

French school riots deepen as experts point to far-left coalition fueling 'broader resistance'.

President Donald Trump addressed the unrest last week, blaming mass immigration instead of complaining about education.

"What's happening in France is nothing less than mass immigration out of control. It's not about schools, it's about Islam trying to take over a great country." Trump wrote on Truth Social on Oct. 6.

Demonstrations on the eve of France's presidential election next May, with the presence of the far left, have become a flashpoint for presidential candidate Stéjean-Luc Melenchon, accusing the government of excessive force against young protesters.

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Melenchon joined demonstrators in Paris on Tuesday, as far-right leader Marine Le Pen condemned the violence and called on those responsible for damaging the schools to pay for repairs.

The police response came under fire after an incident last week in which a 15-year-old boy lost his hand and part of an arm after picking up a police stun grenade that exploded during a protest in Lens.

French authorities subsequently suspended the use of the type of sugar grenades involved in the incident.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for restraint and dialogue as the protests continued.

Students have complained about dilapidated buildings, teacher shortages and school days that can last from 8am to 6pm. French Prime Minister Sebastien LeCorneau has asked the ministers to address their demands.