France protests 'Block Everything' movement HIGHLIGHTS: More than 300 arrested; new PM takes charge of office

This live blog has now ended

A fire erupted out in a building in central Paris on Wednesday and firefighters were sent to the location to respond. Police evacuated the people inside in the building and cordoned off the area. The fire started while a "Block Everything" protest was happening nearby

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Marseille, Montpellier, and Lyon for largely peaceful protests, voicing a range of social and economic grievances. In Marseille, crowd size estimates varied widely: police put the number at 8,000, organizers claimed 30,000 participants, and the CGT union reported as many as 80,000, according to France24. Lyon saw around 8,000 demonstrators, based on police estimates, while roughly 6,000 gathered in Montpellier. Protesters in Montpellier carried anti-capitalist signs, called for the protection of public services, and chanted slogans such as “Lecornu, you’re screwed,” targeting new Frence Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu.

Sebastien Lecornu, appointed by President Emmanuel Macron as France’s fifth prime minister in just two years, took charge of the office on Wednesday amid widespread anti-government protests, highlighting the severity of the country's ongoing political crisis

On Tuesday (September 9), French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Sebastien Lecornu as the new prime minister, following a parliamentary confidence vote that led to the removal of Francois Bayrou. Lecornu, a close ally of Macron, is the fifth person to hold the position in just two years. At 39, Lecornu was previously the youngest defence minister in French history and had been the longest-serving minister in Macron’s cabinet since 2022. Originally from the conservative camp, he joined Macron’s centrist Renaissance party in 2017. Over the years, he has held key roles, including minister of local government and minister for overseas territories.

At the core of the protests is widespread anger over the government’s attempts to slash spending in order to tackle France’s €43 billion budget deficit. The measures — including pension freezes and cuts to welfare programs — have been labeled by critics as deeply unfair and regressive. Many accuse the government of shifting the burden onto working- and middle-class citizens while sparing the wealthy and major corporations. Even with Bayrou gone, protestors believe Macron intends to push forward with the same economic agenda, fueling calls for continued resistance

The police fired tear gas and also made multiple arrests in Toulouse during a demonstration as part of the "block everything" movement on Wednesday (September 10)

In the 9th district of Paris, students from Lamartine high school took part in the "Let's block everything" protest. Among their demands, they were against the appointment of Sebastien Lecornu as country's new PM. One of the student was quoted as saying, “Appointing a minister of the Armed Forces while the youth opposes this militarization, I find it quite insulting for us and for all the people protesting.”

Protest organisers have called for a wide array of actions: strikes, roadblocks, consumer boycotts, and coordinated withdrawals from major banks. The movement’s grassroots energy has drawn comparisons to the Yellow Vest uprising of 2018–2019, which similarly began as a reaction to fuel tax hikes before ballooning into a broader revolt against Macron’s administration. Unions say Bayrou’s departure changes nothing. “His resignation is not a victory; it’s just a step,” said a statement from the Sud-Rail union. “The austerity plan is still very much alive.”