Smoke fills Marseille streets

A thick column of smoke rises into the sky over Marseille as fire trucks pass under the applause of a crowd at the intersection of the Canebiere and the Cours Belsunce. Charred trash cans line the area, with some passersby stopping to take pictures while others move on, showing indifference or annoyance.

Protesters and authorities clash

An elderly woman expresses anger, vowing to hold the authorities accountable, while a fresh tag on a wall reads: "The police kill, Payan accomplice." The Canebiere looks like the aftermath of an uprising, with broken shop windows in electronics stores and banks. Tear gas clouds mix with smoke from fires in the city center.

Protest begins with blockades

The protest started earlier in the day with a blockage at the Prado roundabout in the early morning, which was later broken up by law enforcement. At Saint-Charles station, demonstrators were pushed out of the entrance hall. Another gathering occurred in front of the Eurolinks factory in the 13th arrondissement, a company accused of supplying military components to Israel.

Tear gas and chaos in the streets

On the Vieux-Port, protesters engage in a game of cat and mouse with the police. Groups of young people run in scattered formations, with reports they are heading toward the Vieux-Port. However, not everyone reaches the procession, as the police conduct multiple checks and searches. A young man, handcuffed behind his back, is surrounded by five CRS, with a dozen cell phones filming the scene.

Tear gas thickens and first aid arrives

On rue Saint-Ferréol, a crowd movement erupts, and the tear gas becomes so thick that it is difficult to distinguish what is happening just a few meters away. Demonstrators eventually emerge onto the Vieux-Port under a brilliant sun, engaging in a game of cat and mouse with law enforcement. The police advance and throw tear gas grenades, prompting the procession to retreat, disperse, and then reassemble in the streets leading back toward the city center.

Voices from the crowd

Amine*, a first-year student in a preparatory class in Lyon, is wearing a yellow vest and participating in his first demonstration. He mentions a convergence of struggles with workers and others not in high school, viewing it as a response to government policies. Mekky*, a 22-year-old server in the restaurant industry, expresses enthusiasm for the protests, stating that this day could "mark history."

Protesters continue despite challenges

On the Vieux-Port, the crowd retreats to the edge of the water, with demonstrators kicking smoldering canisters into the basin to the cheers of the crowd. Two tourists in their fifties attempt to navigate through, expressing regret for not staying at the hotel. Ilan*, a senior student at the Marseilleveyre high school in the 8th arrondissement, has lost friends in the confusion and participates in spontaneous demonstrations.

Efforts to block and advance

After several attempts, it becomes possible to cross the Vieux-Port. Further on, a group of masked young people attempts to reach the police, declaring, "We're going, they're five, we're fifty!" Heading back toward Joliette, a dozen containers are hastily overturned on the Rue de la République. A pile of electric scooters and bicycles on fire also blocks the street. It is barely 1:30 p.m., and the main procession of the day has not yet begun.