France was rocked by nationwide protests on Wednesday, September 10, as thousands took part in the so-called ‘Block Everything’ movement, blocking roads, burning vehicles and clashing with police.
Authorities reported nearly 200 arrests across multiple cities, with 132 detained in Paris alone. A bus was torched in Rennes, and train services in parts of the southwest were disrupted after damage to rail infrastructure.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau deployed 80,000 police and gendarmes, including 6,000 in the capital, to prevent a full shutdown of transport and public services. Police fired tear gas and removed barricades in several hotspots.
The demonstrations coincide with the appointment of Sébastien Lecornu as France’s new prime minister, the fifth to hold the post under President Emmanuel Macron since 2023. Protesters are voicing anger over planned budget cuts, pension freezes and what they call a deepening political crisis.
Although the protests caused traffic snarls and scattered property damage, authorities said they had largely contained attempts to paralyze the country.
