French police arrested hundreds on Wednesday as “Block Everything” protests blocked highways and disrupted transport nationwide.
The demonstrations come two days after Prime Minister François Bayrou lost a parliamentary confidence vote, forcing his resignation and clearing the way for Sébastien Lecornu to take over.
The “Block Everything” movement originated in far-right online forums but has since gained support from unions, left-wing parties, and student groups. The movement was triggered by Bayrou’s plan to cut €44 billion (around $48 billion) in public spending, including freezing pensions and reducing healthcare funding.
Even with Bayrou out of office, widespread mistrust of his austerity plan, and the government as a whole, persists.
The Interior Ministry said 473 people were arrested nationwide, including 203 in Paris. According to Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, more than 80,000 security personnel were deployed as 200,000 people participated in over 800 demonstrations.
“Lecornu, you’re not welcome,” read a placard carried by a group of graphic design students, according to the Associated Press.
“One prime minister has just been ousted, and immediately we get another from the right,” 21-year-old student Baptiste Sagot told the news outlet. “They’re trying to make working people, young students, retirees, everyone struggling, bear all the burden instead of taxing wealth.”
In Paris, police used tear gas to clear barricades on the ring road and around Gare du Nord station, where hundreds of students chanted anti-Macron slogans.
⚡ France: Clashes broke out between police and protesters outside the Hélène-Boucher high school in Paris. pic.twitter.com/iv6uS9VM0Z
— OSINT Updates (@OsintUpdates) September 10, 2025
Fires broke out in trash piles and a restaurant near the Châtelet district, while outside schools, students clashed with riot police.
🚨🔥🇫🇷 ALERTE INFO : Incendie dans une brasserie à Châtelet-Les Halles.
Le feu, qui s’est propagé à tout l’immeuble, a été maîtrisé.Un habitant, inquiet pour ses animaux restés bloqués à l’intérieur, lance un appel. LFI doit payer ! (Charles Baudry) pic.twitter.com/oosqCt4pwe
— Wolf 🐺 (@PsyGuy007) September 10, 2025
Unrest also spread to other cities. Protesters torched a bus in Rennes, blocked highways with burning tires in Nantes and erected barricades in Montpellier under banners calling for Macron’s resignation.
🚨🇫🇷FRENCH RIOTS CONTINUE 🔥
A bus on the Rennes ring road was set alight
The French are demanding the fall of the Macron Government
It’s time for him to go 🔚 https://t.co/dWWDbbzN6W pic.twitter.com/o0svAoqa4K
— Basil the Great (@Basil_TGMD) September 10, 2025
Macron appointed Bayrou in December after a series of resignations throughout the year, during which three other prime ministers had left the post.
