Protesters in France are trying to cause as much disruption as possible as political turmoil continues to plague the country.
Tens of thousands of people demonstrating across Paris, Marseille and other French cities on Wednesday were met with 80,000 police officers,
Riot police have clashed with protesters and more than 250 people have been arrested across the country on the same day the new prime minister is being sworn in.
But what are these protests about – and how did they start?
The ‘Block Everything’ movement
At the heart of the riots is a collective called Bloquons Tout – or Block Everything.
It was first spearheaded by right-wing groups in May, but has since been embraced by the left and far-left, experts say.
The country’s powerful labour unions have joined the movement, which has grown with no clear leadership.
The campaign, which started online over the summer, has encouraged people to strike, block roads, and disrupt public services amid the country’s spiralling national debt and the fourth prime minister taking office in 12 months.
The protests have spelt a baptism of fire for Sebastien Lecornu, who replaced Francois Bayrou after he lost a vote of confidence on Monday.
Mr Bayrou – who entered office just nine months ago – caused outrage on both the left and right when he proposed to cut a huge €44bn (£38.1bn) in spending in 2026, with his plan involving axing two public holidays.
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The austerity plan has contributed to deep mistrust in the government, with many turning their frustrations on President Emmanuel Macron, whose minority governments have lurched from crisis to crisis, keeping France in a prolonged cycle of instability.
With no clear Block Everything leader, the intentions of protesters vary, but many have said they believe the political system is no longer fit for purpose and are pushing for a constitutional overhaul, while others are calling for Mr Macron’s resignation and higher taxes on the rich.
What has been happening on the streets?
The protests on Wednesday have caused major disruption in cities across the country, with rioters blocking roads and setting fires.
Demonstrators have been seen rolling bins into the middle of roads to stop cars, while police have rushed to remove the makeshift blockades as quickly as possible.
Tear gas has been used by police outside Paris’s Gare du Nord train station, where around 1,000 gathered, clutching signs declaring Wednesday a public holiday.
Others in the city have blocked the entrance to a high school where firefighters were forced to remove burnt objects from a barricade.
Elsewhere in the country, traffic disruptions were reported on major roads in Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, and Lyon.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told reporters a group of protesters had torched a bus in the Breton city of Rennes.
The riots have been compared to the Yellow Vest movement that broke out over tax increases during Mr Macron’s first term and saw workers camping out at traffic circles to protest a hike in fuel taxes.
But observers say the recent riots have been less intense, and have fallen short of the goal of “blocking everything”, instead causing hot spots of disruption.
“Anger has been rumbling for months, even years,” said Daniel Bretones, a union member protesting in Marseille. “We’re on the fifth prime minister under Macron’s second term, and it has never changed anything.”
Another union member, Amar Lagha, said: “This day is a message to all the workers of this country: that there is no resignation, the fight continues, and a message to this government that we won’t back down, and if we have to die, we’ll die standing.”
