Paris woke up to a city on edge, with streets smoldering and tensions boiling over as nearly a million demonstrators took to the streets in a dramatic show of anger against President Emmanuel Macron.
Images from the capital this morning revealed intense clashes between protesters and police, signaling yet another chapter in France’s ongoing struggle over austerity and budget cuts.
Fire and Fury at Gare du Nord
Protesters set wooden pallets ablaze outside Paris’s iconic Gare du Nord, while police confronted crowds amidst clouds of tear gas.
Sud-Rail union activist Anasse Kazib addressed several hundred demonstrators, noting the heavy police presence.
“The police are afraid of an invasion of the Gare du Nord, so they are invading it themselves,” he declared.
As Kazib spoke, the station’s doors were shut while the crowd repeatedly chanted, “Macron, resign!”
Students and Flares Join the Nationwide Protests
Young people, masked and waving red flares, joined the protests outside Lycée Maurice Ravel, carrying banners demanding to “tax the rich.”
Teachers and union representatives were also present, demonstrating solidarity with the nationwide strikes.
In Lyon, the usually calm Gare de Lyon became a chaotic scene of orange blazes and fiery confrontations, while Paris’s Eiffel Tower was temporarily closed due to the unrest.
Massive Arrests and Widespread Disruption
The Interior Ministry reported 94 arrests nationwide by midday, with 15 in Paris alone.
Authorities estimate that between 600,000 and 900,000 people could take to the streets today.
Fires were lit on 20 public roads, targeting major transport hubs like the Metro and the Paris ring road.
Police warned that around 1,000 rioters could cause trouble in Paris, with more than 250 rallies planned across France.
Unions Rally Against Austerity Measures
All major French unions have mobilized against government budget plans, which include cuts totaling around £40 billion.
From dawn, the country experienced major disruptions: schools were blocked, hospitals faced strain, and many metro lines were suspended except during rush hours.
One high school protestor held a sign reading, “Block your high school against austerity,” highlighting the mix of students, teachers, and workers pushing back against Macron’s policies.
Voices from the Streets
Fred, a CGT union representative and bus driver, emphasized the government’s disregard for workers.
“Workers are currently so despised by this government and by Macron that it can’t continue like this,” he said.
Teacher Gaetan Legay added, “I am here to defend public services, in particular to demand that public money goes back into public services rather than to large companies or tax gifts to the ultra-rich.”
The Largest Strike Since 2023
Today’s demonstrations are expected to be the most significant union-led protests since the 2023 mobilisation against Macron’s controversial pension reforms.
Officials anticipate potential violence on the sidelines, prompting a massive deployment of 80,000 police officers and gendarmes, backed by 24 armored vehicles, water cannons, and surveillance drones.
Government Warnings and Security Measures
Outgoing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau warned of a “very, very strong” mobilisation, describing the day as a hybrid of sanctioned marches and potential sabotage by ultra-left groups.
“We will respond with massive resources and clear orders,” he said, emphasizing zero tolerance for damage to public buildings.
Protests Reach Government Offices
Earlier today, around 100 union members entered the Ministry of Economy and Finance, breaking through security barriers and setting off smoke bombs.
Chanting slogans like “Bercy, you’re done for, the workers are in the streets,” the demonstrators vowed to continue their fight against pension reform and austerity measures.
Widespread Service Disruptions
The strikes have already forced one-third of teachers to walk out, closed nine in ten pharmacies, and caused severe delays across the Paris Metro.
Only three driverless Metro lines are expected to operate normally, while high-speed trains may run but suburban services face major delays.
Air traffic disruptions should be limited after controllers postponed a strike until October.
Public Support and Political Tensions
Despite the chaos, public backing remains strong, with an Elabe poll showing 56% of citizens supporting or sympathizing with the protests.
This is slightly lower than the 2023 pension reform mobilizations, which garnered 60–63% approval.
The protests target next year’s budget measures, including changes to unemployment benefits and medical insurance, aimed at reducing France’s £3 trillion national debt.
Union Leaders Demand Change
CGT union head Sophie Binet denounced Macron’s policies as “unprecedented brutality,” affecting workers, pensioners, and the sick.
While the government scrapped the unpopular plan to remove two public holidays, other austerity measures remain under scrutiny.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced plans to end lifetime benefits for former prime ministers, a move aimed at appeasing unions.
Echoes of the Yellow Vest Movement
The “Block Everything” movement has drawn comparisons to the 2018–2019 Yellow Vest rebellion, although sociologists note a generational shift.
Antoine Bristielle from the Jean Jaurès Foundation explained, “In the Yellow Vest movement, we had a vulnerable France struggling to make ends meet.
Today, it’s many young people with a vision of social justice and less inequality.”
Young Voices Demand a New Future
Student Alice Morin, 21, expressed the generational determination behind the protests: “Young people are the future.
The old generation left us with a broken world and a failing government.
It is up to us to fight, to change things, and to dance on the ashes of the old world.”