This Wednesday, September 10, the “Let’s Block Everything” mobilization will have a significant impact in Nice. Student demonstrations, citizen assemblies, strikes in education, and transportation disruptions are expected. The airport will be affected in the evening, and an exceptional security arrangement is planned.
Several gatherings are announced in Nice throughout the day. At 11:30 a.m., a citizen mobilization will take place in Old Nice at Place Carlou-Aubert. It is organized by collectives such as “Let’s Block Everything” and “Let’s Get Indignant.”
In the afternoon, two major events will occur. At 2:00 p.m., a student demonstration will depart from the Carlone campus to reach the Thiers train station. At the same time, a Citizen Assembly will be held in front of the Palais des Expositions. These mobilizations are expected to gather students, teachers, unions, and citizen collectives participating in the national day “Let’s Block Everything.”
Outside the city of Nice, other actions are planned in the Alpes-Maritimes. The CGT has called for several gatherings. Starting at 7:00 a.m., there will be a blockade of the Cians roundabout in Antibes. At 10:00 a.m., another gathering is planned in front of the Medef headquarters in Saint-Laurent-du-Var.
These calls are in addition to more spontaneous actions encouraged by the “Let’s Block Everything” movement. They aim to disrupt strategic points and broaden the mobilization’s impact. Local authorities therefore fear unexpected blockades on roads and damage to some infrastructures.
Disruptions in education and transportation
The education sector will be heavily affected. Several unions such as SNES-FSU, SUD Education, and SNUipp-FSU are calling for a strike. Teacher absences are expected in schools, middle schools, and high schools in Nice. Blockades of educational and university establishments might take place in the morning before the student march departs.
Rail transport will also be disrupted. The SNCF announced that TER trains will experience severe circulation difficulties on the Cรดte d’Azur and in the Var. The CGT-Cheminots and SUD-Rail are indeed participating in the mobilization. However, the SNCF states that TGV Inoui, Ouigo, and international trains will operate normally.
Nice Airport is among the French platforms affected by the air traffic controllersโ strike. The General Directorate of Civil Aviation has asked airlines to reduce their flight schedules by half between 6 p.m. and midnight. Numerous delays and cancellations are therefore expected for passengers in the evening.
These disruptions in education and transportation add to the scheduled gatherings in the city. They reflect the scale of the day of mobilization in Nice and throughout the department.
Enhanced security in Nice and across the territory to oversee protests
The soon-to-be former Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau announced on Monday the mobilization of “80,000 gendarmes and police officers” to oversee the day of September 10. He stated that “no violence will be tolerated” and “no blockade will be accepted.”
“A very clear directive, firmness. We will tolerate no blockade, no violence, no overflow,” stressed Bruno Retailleau. The minister specified that the law enforcement will be tasked with “making maximum arrests” in the event of presumed delinquency.
In Nice, the Prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes has not yet communicated the details of the local arrangement. Nevertheless, it is expected that strategic areas will be closely monitored. The Carlone campus, Thiers train station, and Palais des Expositions should have an increased police presence. Road accesses and public transport might also be subject to additional checks. The city also has more than 4,300 surveillance cameras, a system to which Mayor Christian Estrosi is particularly attached, and which should help manage this day of mobilization more effectively.
This firmness displayed by the government responds to concerns raised by the nature of the “Let’s Block Everything” movement. It is considered dangerous, lacking identified structure or spokesperson, making it more difficult for the authorities to manage. In Nice, the mobilization will be closely monitored by law enforcement, which will act swiftly in case of unforeseen actions.
