May Day Demonstration 2025: Police Intervention at the Head of the Procession

On the sidelines of the May Day demonstration in Paris this Thursday, law enforcement made 29 arrests.

New tensions erupted this Thursday, May 1, 2025, during the workers’ demonstration in Paris. After the Socialist Party (PS) stand was targeted by black blocs shortly before 3 p.m., the head of the procession was also targeted.

Furthermore, several Socialist elected officials were attacked by demonstrators. PS MP Jérôme Guedj had to be removed from the procession. Boris Vallaud, the PS leader in the National Assembly, announced that he was taking legal action. Bruno Retailleau, Minister of the Interior, expressed his support for the left-wing elected officials.

A « group of troublemakers, » according to information provided by the Paris Police Prefecture (PP), were allegedly behind the damage on Boulevard Diderot in the 12th arrondissement.

Most of the incidents involved participation in a group with the intention of committing violence or causing damage.

Jérôme Guedj, a Socialist MP also present, had to leave the procession. « A first violent group gave us the finger, called us ‘traitors’ while chanting ‘everyone hates the Socialist Party,' » he later told AFP. « Then 20-30 people dressed in black, like Black Blocs, arrived and made contact. They beat people and led a charge, throwing several agricultural bombs, » he continued. « For me, they were Black Blocs and anti-fascists, » adding: « These people were turning towards me a lot to insult me. »

The figures for the May Day demonstrations in France have been released: 157,000 people marched, including 32,000 in Paris at 230 rallies, according to the Interior Ministry. Earlier, the CGT (General Confederation of Labour) had announced that it had counted nearly 300,000 demonstrators. The ministry stated that the recorded participation was higher than in 2024 (121,000 demonstrators were registered), « particularly in Paris, where participation almost doubled. »

Other figures: four demonstrators and 19 police officers were slightly injured. 72 people were arrested, including 52 in Paris, and 28 people were taken into custody, including 19 in Paris.

©2025 – IMPACT EUROPEAN

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