Paris descended into chaos overnight as rioters clashed with police, hurling bottles, setting fires, and defacing landmarks with graffiti demanding President Emmanuel Macron’s resignation. The turmoil, a prelude to Wednesday’s nationwide “Bloquons Tout” (Block Everything) strikes on September 10, 2025, was exacerbated by a chilling wave of anti-Muslim acts—nine pig heads left outside mosques, some scrawled with “Macron” in blue ink.
The city braces for worse as tens of thousands prepare to paralyse France over the 2026 budget’s punishing austerity measures. On Monday, Prime Minister François Bayrou’s minority government collapsed after a 364-194 no-confidence vote, his push for €43.8 billion in savings uniting far-left and far-right opponents.
Mr Bayrou told the National Assembly: “All the challenges facing us come down to one essential, urgent question… controlling our spending and our excessive debt.”
He futher warned that “domination by our creditors… produces the loss of our liberty.”
Mr Bayrou’s budget cut €5.5 billion from hospitals, eliminated May 8 and Easter Monday holidays, froze pensions, and slashed public services—deemed a “horror show” by unions.
He said: “France has not had a balanced budget in 51 years,” blaming pandemics and wars for the crisis.
Mr Macron, with approval ratings at a grim 15%, appointed Sébastien Lecornu as PM on September 9, rejecting calls for new elections.
He said: “To be free in this world, you have to be feared,” defiant amid impeachment demands.
On Wednesday the “Block Everything” movement—born on social media, backed by unions and extremists— is planning roadblocks, sit-ins, and strikes across transport, schools, and hospitals.
Paris hotspots such as Bastille and République face heavy police presence, with 80,000 security forces deployed nationwide. RER D and Transilien R face disruptions, though metro services may continue running.
The pig head incidents, confirmed at four Paris mosques and five in suburbs like Montreuil, have heightened tensions. Police Chief Laurent Nunez called them “despicable,” launching a hate crime probe.
He warned: “We are not ruling out the possibility that others may be found,” noting possible “foreign interference” links but urging caution.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau condemned the “outrageous” acts, saying: “I want our Muslim compatriots to practise their faith in peace.” The Grand Mosque’s rector, Chems-Eddine Hafiz, decried a “new and sad stage in anti-Muslim hatred.”
With France’s Muslim population exceeding six million, these acts—pork being haram in Islam—have deepened divides amid a 75% spike in anti-Muslim incidents in 2025.