France Protests Updates: "Block Everything" Movement Disrupts Cities, Hundreds Arrested

France is seeing widespread and violent protests under the banner of the "Block Everything" movement, fueled by rage over President Emmanuel Macron's fiscal policies and austerity measures. The protests, which saw demonstrators block roads, clash with police, and set fires in cities like Paris and Marseille, have led to over 200 arrests, according to initial report by NDTV.

The Washington Post reports that the number of people arrested for the protest have crossed the 400 mark. The unrest comes just after Macron appointed a new prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, following the ousting of his predecessor over a proposed budget that included spending cuts of 44 billion euros.

The "Block Everything" movement, or "Bloquons tout," gained momentum online and is a broad expression of discontent with what protesters call a "dysfunctional ruling elite." While the protests did not completely halt the country, they caused significant disruption, leading to a massive deployment of 80,000 security forces.

Protesters' demands are varied, but many target the controversial budget plans that proposed scrapping public holidays, freezing pensions, and making other cuts to balance the country's national debt. The current wave of demonstrations has drawn comparisons to the 2018 "Yellow Vest" protests but is notable for being largely organized online and drawing a younger demographic.

While some rallies remained peaceful, the overall tone of the movement has been described by an Interior Minister as an attempt to create "a climate of insurrection." The ongoing unrest adds to France's political instability, which has seen three different prime ministers in less than a year.