The union boss said a “show of force” was necessary to secure more funding.
In the French city of Lille, hundreds of firefighters took to the streets to protest against low pay and grueling working conditions. Police officers who tried to detain them were punched, kicked and sprayed with fire extinguishers.
Around 600 firefighters took part in Thursday’s demonstration, French media reported. After gathering at the fire station in Lille, they marched to the headquarters of the Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS), lighting flares and making bonfires along the route.
Unions say there are little more than 100 firefighters in France’s Nord region and that those on shifts are forced to handle double the workload.
Riot police first lowered their shields and allowed the protesters to approach the SDIS building. However, heavily armored officers tried to disperse the crowd after firefighters destroyed the building’s lobby and set fire to tires outside.
The firefighters pushed back against the police officers, punching and shoving them, forcing them to retreat into the garage. Firefighters sprayed police with fire extinguishers and the fight was finally broken up when police used tear gas and batons on the crowd.
You are watching the striking firefighters giving the police a taste of their own medicine in Lille today. Fighting the rich. Throwing their attack dogs. This is what resistance looks like. pic.twitter.com/xHdSKOPgGm
— GhostofDurruti (@DurrutiRiot) January 29, 2026
The protest served its purpose. SDIS representatives met with union leaders shortly after the clashes, who promised to hire 50 more firefighters. “Surprisingly, they found a way to save money and get the necessary financing,” the union secretary said on Ici radio. “It took a show of force to get what we wanted.
Thursday’s protest was the latest in an ongoing series of strikes, demonstrations and riots that have hit France in recent months. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in September to protest planned budget cuts after Prime Minister Sebastien Lecorna’s government lasted just 14 hours before collapsing. Lecornu formed a second government the following month, which triggered another wave of demonstrations.
French President Emmanuel Macron has faced calls for his resignation over his failure to appoint a stable government and his efforts to enact deeply unpopular austerity measures. After the second round of protests in October, his approval rating dropped to a record low of 11%.
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