Paris, September 10, 2025: Protesters across France took to the streets on Wednesday, blocking roads, burning bins, and clashing with police in an attempt to “block everything” in anger over planned budget cuts and growing disillusionment with President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership.
Police and firefighters were deployed nationwide to dismantle barricades and restore order. Nearly 200 arrests were made, with several scuffles reported. In Paris, riot police fired tear gas at student protesters outside a high school and cleared burning debris near barricades. Authorities also prevented a group of nearly 1,000 demonstrators from storming the Gare du Nord train station.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said a bus was torched in Rennes, while police officers were attacked with cobblestones in other parts of the country. He warned that later rallies risked infiltration by hardline groups, potentially escalating violence.
The protests, organised loosely on social media, began in May with right-wing groups but have since been overtaken by left and far-left activists. The movement is increasingly being compared to the 2018 Yellow Vest uprising, which also targeted Macron and his reform agenda.
In Nantes, demonstrators lit tires on fire to block highways, while similar blockades appeared in Montpellier, Marseille, and Lyon. Vinci, the national highway operator, reported widespread disruptions.
Chants of “Macron resign” echoed at rallies. Teachers and union leaders called for more funding for schools and hospitals, rejecting austerity measures proposed before the government’s defeat in parliament this week. “This is a message that we won’t back down,” unionist Amar Lagha said.
The growing unrest underscores the political fragility facing Macron, as opposition parties unite against his policies and street anger continues to mount.
