France in “lockdown everything” mode detained nearly 300 people

France is experiencing another day of turmoil this Wednesday with protesters threatening to "block everything" (in reference to the Block Everything movement, which has emerged on social media and has been associated with the far right and left) in various parts of the country, on the day that Sébastian Lecornu replaced Francois Bayrou as French Prime Minister.

The Reuters news agency reported that Wednesday's protests led to the arrest of nearly 300 people across the country. In light of the unrest, the French government confirmed that 80,000 security forces have been mobilized to respond to the unrest taking place in France.

One of the targets of the protesters' fury was the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

During the protests it was reported that a group of a thousand people tried to 'take over' the Gare du Nord.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said a group of protesters set fire to a bus in Rennes, while Reuters reported that police were attacked with cobblestones. The news agency also reported that around 50 hooded individuals attempted to block a road in Bordeaux.

There were also reports of Protestants trying to block the entrance to a school in Paris.

"Police forced open one of the doors to let students in and there was violence with tear gas," said Ariane Anemoyannis, spokeswoman for the youth group 'Le Poing Leve', quoted by NBC News .

The French Education Minister confirmed that around 100 schools were disrupted and 27 were completely locked down.

This was compounded by traffic disruptions in several regions of the country, such as Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, and Lyon. Toulouse was another region also affected by protests.

In southwestern France, government transport authorities have confirmed that fires broke out on electrical cables, leading to the disruption of train and transit services.

New Prime Minister Takes Office After Bayrou's Fall

On Monday, Prime Minister Francois Bayrou lost the confidence of Parliament, forcing his resignation from the executive branch. He was replaced by Defense Minister Sebastian Lecornu, who took office this Wednesday.

Francois Bayrou's downfall came after the difficulties he encountered in the French parliament in pushing forward his plan to reduce the country's budget deficit.

At his inauguration, the new French prime minister promised a "break in substance, not just in form," in the country's governance, as quoted by France24. The new French leader admitted there is a "gap" between real life and the political situation. However, Sébastien Lecornu promised that his government will be "successful" and that "nothing is impossible."