France erupts as 200,000 join ’Block Everything’ protests

By Staff, Agencies

Nearly 200,000 people demonstrated across France on Wednesday as part of the “Block Everything” campaign opposing government budget reforms, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced at a press conference.

Retailleau noted that young people were “particularly represented” in the nationwide movement, while accusing far-left and ultra-left groups of hijacking the protests. 

Despite “very, very numerous attempts” to disrupt daily life, he insisted that “blockers did not block France.”

According to official figures, authorities recorded 812 separate protest actions across the country.

In Paris, clashes erupted near key sites including Porte d’Aubervilliers, several high schools, and the Gare du Nord train station. Police used tear gas to disperse crowds, and multiple trash bins were set ablaze.

A building in the Chatelet district caught fire, prompting a major response from firefighters. Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that the blaze began after police fired tear gas.

Shops were also affected. The Forum des Halles shopping mall in central Paris was temporarily closed after online calls for looting circulated as demonstrators marched toward the complex.

The unrest extended beyond the capital, impacting air travel. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation reported delays and cancellations at airports in Marseille, Nice, Bastia, Ajaccio, Figari, and Calvi.

Authorities deployed 80,000 security forces with drones and vehicles to prevent blockades, while Retailleau accused some politicians of inciting unrest.

The “Block Everything” movement on September 10, sparked by social media group Les Essentiels, opposes outgoing PM Bayrou’s budget plan with calls to halt all activities.

The far-left France Unbowed [LFI] party has since voiced support, while major trade unions have called for another nationwide day of mobilization on September 18.

In a related development, police reported more than 300 arrests nationwide, including nearly 200 detentions in Paris alone.

Protests follow Bayrou’s confidence vote loss over his €44 billion spending cut budget amid rising political instability and France’s high public debt.

In response to the crisis, President Macron appointed Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister to consult parties and form a new government.

Budget disputes have long troubled French politics, with last year’s failed 2025 budget toppling Michel Barnier’s government after a no-confidence vote.

France’s major trade unions announced a national strike on September 18, joining grassroots protests against government economic policies.

As tensions mount, the coming weeks are expected to test both the resilience of the protest movement and the ability of the Macron administration to restore political and economic stability.