Environmental activists, farmers, and students in Paris unite over climate and social justice, with Greta Thunberg joining protests and demands expanding to include the 'high cost of living.'
Paris demonstration unites diverse groups
On October 17, 2026, environmental activists, farmers, and students gathered in Paris for a large demonstration. The event marked a convergence of various movements, highlighting shared concerns about education, living conditions, and government policies.Kaméra Vesic joins the protest
Kaméra Vesic, founder of the PikPik association, participated in the demonstration despite losing her voice from chanting slogans earlier that day. She emphasized the importance of addressing basic needs to ensure a livable future and expressed anger at the treatment of young protesters.Future-focused mobilization plans
From October 22 to 25, Vesic’s association will host a Popular Ecology Festival in Île-Saint-Denis. The event will include discussions on social and environmental struggles, reflecting the movement’s focus on the future. The September 26 Movement plans its next mobilization for November 14 around the theme of "the future."Benjamin Ball outlines movement challenges
Benjamin Ball, co-founder of the September 26 Movement, highlighted concerns about the future of youth and adults, including career prospects, pensions, and housing stability. He noted that environmental activists have coordinated with groups like the Yellow Vests to organize demonstrations and negotiate with authorities.Interconnected struggles and coordination
Ball emphasized the need to connect environmental and social struggles to build trust between movements that have been separated. Activists from Earth Uprisings and Extinction Rebellion (XR) provided support, including medical training and logistical help, to over 400 people during the demonstrations.XR activism and symbolic acts
XR activists displayed a jacket on a statue in Place de la République with the message "dilapidated schools, sacrificed youth." They later hung a yellow jacket to denounce police repression, including incidents involving Algerian demonstrators in 1961. Api, one of the climbers, noted that criticism of police violence is now widespread across all movements.Criticism of Macron’s policies
Christophe Van Hoorne of the Confédération paysanne questioned what future Emmanuel Macron offers young people, suggesting that liberal policies are the only response to demands for a better future. Vipulan Puvaneswaran from the Earth Uprisings noted that the revolt includes disturbing forms of violence, such as looting major brands like Galeries Lafayette and Carrefour.Government response and movement continuity
Emmanuel Macron urged people not to confuse legitimate demands with those of individuals who destroyed property. Vipulan Puvaneswaran argued that the government seeks to delegitimize certain groups but acknowledged the movement’s continuity. Sylvine Bouffaron of Greenpeace in Lyon stated that supporting dignified living conditions means being in the streets with students and workers. The next phase of the mobilization, called "act II," is scheduled for October 24.
