Jimmy Gressier protests against high school protests and damage

Having entered the history of French sport by winning the 10,000 meters at the World Championships in Tokyo in 2025, Jimmy Gressier has never been without a tongue in his pocket. The 29-year-old Northerner, who took third place at the European Championships this summer (over 10,000 m), demonstrated this once again by taking a stand on the crisis in the high school movement. In a message on Instagram, the spearhead of the French athletics team admits not to understand the demands of young people throughout the week.

“I don’t understand”

“No, I don’t understand,” explains Jimmy Gressier in the preamble before explaining himself. “I don’t understand why we are demonstrating because a day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. would have become unbearable,” he asks, referring to the recurring complaints from high school students regarding their schedule.

The long-distance runner then addresses the subject of the damage committed throughout the week throughout France. “I understand even less that we end up breaking, damaging and burning fire trucks. Trucks that are not there to repress. Not here to judge. They are there to save lives,” he adds, recalling that four firefighters lost their lives this summer while fighting fires. “On the one hand, men give their lives to serve. On the other hand, some destroy the means used to protect and rescue,” laments the French champion who broadens his thoughts in the rest of his message.

“When did we lose the sense of effort, respect and responsibility? »

Jimmy Gressier

“When did we lose the sense of effort, respect and responsibility?” he asks. “Work is not an injustice. Effort is not oppression. And violence will never be a demand,” he writes before concluding: “There are images that deeply question the values ​​that we transmit. This needs to change.”