On September 10, 2025, France found itself once again at the crossroads of protest and political upheaval, as the so-called "Block Everything" movement swept through Paris and cities nationwide. What began as a call to action on social media rapidly escalated into a day of disruption, confrontation, and, for many, a renewed sense of frustration with the government of President Emmanuel Macron and the policies of his recently ousted prime minister, François Bayrou.
The scale of the protests was formidable. According to multiple reports, more than 100,000 people were expected to participate in the demonstrations, which aimed to disrupt transport, education, and other vital services. The movement, which originated as a grassroots campaign online, urged citizens to bring the country to a standstill—a show of anger against the government’s proposed budget cuts and broader economic direction (as reported by AP and other major outlets).
By the early hours of Wednesday, the streets of Paris and other French cities bore witness to the intensity of this mobilization. Protesters blocked roads, set fires, and, in some cases, clashed with police. In Paris, the iconic beltway became a focal point for demonstrators attempting to halt rush hour traffic, prompting police to respond with tear gas. Scattered fires dotted the city, and in the western city of Rennes, protesters set a bus ablaze, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau confirmed. Meanwhile, in the southwest, fire damage to electrical cables brought train services on one line to a halt and delayed another, compounding the sense of national disruption.
Despite the movement’s ambitions, France was not entirely "blocked" by the end of the day. Tens of thousands of security forces—80,000 officers, according to the French interior ministry—were deployed across the country, swiftly dismantling barricades and making arrests. Officials reported that nearly 300 people were detained nationwide within the initial hours, with 159 arrests in Paris alone by midday. In other cities, from Marseille in the south to Lille and Caen in the north, and from Nantes and Rennes in the west to Grenoble and Lyon in the southeast, nearly 100 more were taken into custody as blockages and slow-moving traffic protests spread.
The "Block Everything" protests unfolded against a backdrop of mounting political uncertainty. Just two days earlier, on September 8, Prime Minister François Bayrou was ousted following a failed parliamentary confidence vote, leaving Sébastien Lecornu to step into the role at a moment of acute national tension. Lecornu’s immediate test was daunting: not only did he inherit a political landscape shaken by Bayrou’s abrupt departure, but he also faced the fallout from Bayrou’s controversial budget proposals. These included a drastic 44 billion euro ($51 billion) reduction in public spending and the elimination of two public holidays—measures that many saw as emblematic of a broader austerity agenda.
The movement’s grievances were as diverse as its participants. While the protests were initially sparked by outrage over spending cuts and the elimination of public holidays, they quickly expanded to encompass broader dissatisfaction with government policies and persistent inequalities. The structureless, leaderless nature of "Block Everything" drew comparisons to the 2018-2019 "Yellow Vest" protests, which began as a reaction to fuel tax hikes but evolved into a nationwide outcry against Macron’s leadership and economic reforms. As AP noted, the current demonstrations were less intense than the yellow vest movement, but the echoes were unmistakable: a sense of popular discontent with what many see as a disconnected ruling elite.
“We are dealing with small, agile groups who are often masked and clad in black, identifying traits of leftist and ultra-left movements,” Interior Minister Retailleau remarked, pointing to the decentralized and sometimes confrontational tactics of the protesters. While organizers emphasized peaceful protest in their online appeals, some demonstrators engaged in more aggressive actions, throwing objects at police and accumulating trash cans as makeshift barricades.
The disruption was felt well beyond the protest lines. In the southwest, fire damage to electrical cables halted train services on one major line and delayed another, stranding commuters and travelers. The city of Paris saw repeated attempts to block traffic during the morning rush, with police forces working quickly to disperse crowds and restore order. Elsewhere, blockades and slow-moving traffic protests created bottlenecks from Marseille to Lille, underscoring the movement’s national reach.
For many ordinary French citizens, the day’s events were both a source of frustration and a reflection of deeper malaise. Lila, an office worker in Paris who preferred to remain partially anonymous, told reporters she felt “exhausted and frustrated at the country's lack of progress,” sentiments echoed by many who did not actively participate in the protests but nonetheless identified with their underlying message. Others, however, questioned the methods employed by the movement. Bertrand Rivard, an accountant in Paris, described the disruptions as “a bit excessive,” arguing that “democracy should dissuade citizens from paralyzing the country over governmental decisions.”
The government, for its part, faced an immediate and daunting challenge. The deployment of 80,000 police officers and the rapid dismantling of barricades underscored both the seriousness of the threat and the authorities’ determination to maintain order. Yet, as the day wore on, it became clear that the underlying grievances fueling the protests would not be easily resolved. The “Block Everything” movement, much like the yellow vest protests before it, appeared to draw strength from its lack of centralized leadership and its ability to channel a wide array of frustrations—ranging from economic austerity to political disenfranchisement—into a single, if chaotic, day of action.
As the dust settled, nearly 300 people had been arrested, fires had been extinguished, and blockades cleared. But the sense of political uncertainty remained. The ousting of Bayrou and the installation of Lecornu as prime minister had done little to quell the anger on the streets or the skepticism in parliament, where Macron’s government continues to face fierce opposition. The failed confidence vote, the contentious budget proposals, and the growing sense of disconnect between the government and its citizens all contributed to an atmosphere of unrest that, for now, shows no sign of abating.
Whether the “Block Everything” movement will fade as quickly as it appeared or evolve into a longer-lasting force remains to be seen. What is clear is that, for many in France, the events of September 10 were not just about blocked roads or missed trains—they were a vivid reminder of the country’s ongoing struggle to reconcile economic necessity with social justice, and of the persistent divide between those who govern and those who are governed.