'Block Everything' Protests In France: Mass Arrests, Confrontations, All You Need To Know

Protests erupted across France on Wednesday with thousands taking to the streets to express their anger against President Emmanuel Macron's government and planned budget cuts. Protesters clashed with police, blocked roads and set fires in several cities, leading to hundreds of arrests.

The protests, part of a grassroots movement called “Bloquons Tout” or “Block Everything”, were marked by tense confrontations between protesters and security forces. The plan to "block everything" was sparked by a recent political shake-up in France.

Former Prime Minister Francois Bayrou lost a confidence vote on Monday, with an overwhelming majority of 364-194 votes against him. Following this, Macron appointed Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu as Bayrou's replacement. This marks France's fifth prime minister in less than two years and fourth in 12 months. Bayrou was ousted by Parliament over proposals to reduce the country's massive deficit.

Sebastien Lecornu takes office on Wednesday as the new PM. Here’s everything we need to know about the movement.

Demonstrators across the country took to the streets on Wednesday, aiming to "Block Everything" in a show of anger towards politicians and planned budget cuts, Reuters reported.

The policies, drafted by now-ousted Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, have led to a sense of frustration among citizens. As a result, protesters stopped highway traffic and trains and even set a bus on fire in Rennes.

To maintain order, 80,000 police officers were deployed nationwide to remove blockades. Opposition parties have criticised Macron's decision to appoint Defence Minister Lecornu as the new prime minister.

According to figures released by the interior ministry, 295 arrests were made by law enforcement agencies, with more than half occurring in the Paris region. This comes two days after Bayrou's government collapsed over unpopular austerity measures.

In Paris, police fired tear gas at students who were blocking the entrance to a high school, while firefighters retrieved burned materials from a barricade. Police reported they blocked a huge group of approximately 1,000 demonstrators from entering the city's Gare du Nord train station.

Macron's decision to choose Lecornu, a close supporter, as prime minister "is a slap in the face", according to Florent, a demonstrator in Lyon, southeastern France. "We are tired of his successive governments, we need change," he was quoted as saying by France24.

Marie, a student and actress, expressed her frustration, saying she's protesting because she's "sick of it" and wants Macron to listen to the people's demands. “Today we are here to show Macron that we’re done with all of this. He can’t just keep ignoring us and what the people want," Marie told Euronews. 

The "Block Everything" movement in France is driven by anger over inflation and austerity measures. Emerging this summer with less organisation than the 2018 Yellow Vests protests, it has garnered significant online support. A recent Ipsos poll revealed 46% of French people back the movement, including those on the left and over half of far-right National Rally voters.

Two major unions, CGT and SUD, backed the protests, with broader strikes planned for September 18. Eironews reported that Eric Challal, representative of SUD Rail-Paris, said, "We're fed up with paying, we're working hard, and we're barely managing to keep our heads above water and to think that the hole in the deficit would be our fault is unbearable to hear."