Foreign entities escalating public outcries for a complete shutdown in France
In the lead-up to the Bloquons Tout! (Let's block everything) protests scheduled for 10 September, questions are being raised over potential foreign interference. While the movement appears to be largely domestic in nature, analysts and intelligence services have noted signs of foreign involvement.
Analysts from French digital intelligence group Projet Fox have tracked hundreds of fake accounts, mainly on X (formerly Twitter), that are attempting to boost hashtags such as #10septembre2025 and #MacronDémission (Macron resign). However, the impact of foreign involvement in the Bloquons Tout! protests is unclear.
French authorities have cited "influence activities" from pro-government media in Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, and Algeria. Outlets such as Caliber in Azerbaijan and Alfadjr in Algeria have recently highlighted Macron's low popularity and warned of possible unrest. A cluster of accounts, attributed to Iran, includes profiles with AI-generated images and repeated calls for blockades or the French president's resignation.
Yet, officials continue to emphasize that the Bloquons Tout! protests planned for 10 September remain primarily a domestic movement. The aim of foreign interference, according to an official, is not so much to interfere directly but to relay narratives portraying France as unstable.
The movement calls for a September shutdown across France to protest budget cuts. It is being held just two days after parliament is expected to vote down Prime Minister Francois Bayrou over his 2026 austerity budget. The activity is largely centered on French left-wing and far-left circles.
The protest is compared to the anti-government Gilets jaunes protest movement of 2018-2019, but appears far less structured and emerged online only in July this year. The aim of the 10 September protest is to "paralyze" France with strikes, blockades, and demonstrations.
Social media monitoring platform Visibrain has detected signs of "astroturfing," where content purportedly from grassroots movements, but actually funded and organized by corporations or political groups, is created to sway public opinion. Domestic intelligence services warn of potential blockades targeting transport, energy, and defense sites.
Despite these concerns, French activist networks, such as Les Essentiels and local Indignons Nous groups on Telegram and Signal, are driving calls for action since May. An article on Alfadjr's website described a "besieged France" threatened by IMF control and rising poverty.
In response, the French interior minister has vowed "utmost firmness" against shutdown protests. France has formally accused Russia's military intelligence agency of carrying out cyberattacks against French institutions, including President Emmanuel Macron's 2017 presidential campaign and organisations linked to the Paris 2024 Olympics.
As the date of the protests approaches, the focus remains on maintaining peace and order while allowing for peaceful expression of dissent. The French government and intelligence services will continue to monitor the situation closely.
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