French police arrest dozens in 'Block Everything' protests

Protesters from a new movement in France staged demonstrations on highways that disrupted traffic early on Wednesday and dozens of people were arrested as security forces deployed across the country, officials said.

Information about Wednesday's "Block Everything" demonstrations surfaced on social media over the summer, drawing comparisons to the 2018 "Yellow Vest" protests that initially sprang up over fuel hikes but morphed into a broader movement against French President Emmanuel Macron and his plans for economic reform.

Members of the "Block Everything" movement, which analysts and officials say started among right-wing groups before being taken over by the left and far-left, said they considered the political system was no longer fit for purpose.

The demonstrations could add to France's political turmoil two days after parliament ousted Prime Minister Francois Bayrou in a confidence vote. On Tuesday, Macron appointed his fifth prime minister in less than two years, Sebastien Lecornu.

The far-left France Unbowed party has already said it would introduce a no-confidence motion against Lecornu, though the far-right National Rally has signalled it would be willing to work with him for now.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told reporters early on Wednesday that about 50 hooded people had tried to start a blockade in Bordeaux, while in Toulouse, a cable fire that had been stopped quickly had still managed to disrupt traffic between Toulouse and Auch in southwestern France.

Retailleau said some actions had also taken place in Paris overnight, though he did not provide details. Paris police said that 75 people had been arrested in the demonstrations so far, but did not give details on where they took place or the reason for the arrests.

Elsewhere, Vinci, a highway operator, reported protests and traffic disruptions on highways throughout France, including Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes and Lyon.

Retailleau, the interior minister, said 80,000 security forces had been deployed throughout the country, including 6,000 in Paris. French media had reported that 100,000 people were expected to participate in the demonstrations. "We risk having a mobilisation that will lead to actions all over the country," Retailleau said.