First posted on Instagram
In Bordeaux on Saturday, October 31, protesters smashed a giant piñata made in the likeness of President Emmanuel Macron during a march against the rising cost of living, with fake banknotes spilling out as the effigy broke apart. Video of the moment, filmed by Le Figaro journalist Marie-Hélène Hérouart, shows the piñata being struck with a sword and a frying pan at Place de la Victoire at around 3:48 p.m., as the crowd cheered.
The Bordeaux action came during the third consecutive weekend of nationwide mobilisation, called by students, unions and yellow-vest coordinators over living costs, school conditions and public services. The Bordeaux march was authorised from Place de la Bourse, while police kept crowds away from rue Sainte-Catherine, which was hit by looting on October 17.
The government deployed 70,000 police and gendarmes across France for the day, with at least 150 gatherings tracked by the Interior Ministry. Officials had warned of a "very high risk" of disorder, especially after dark on Halloween.
Early government estimates put nationwide turnout at about 320,000 — down from 550,000 on October 17 and 410,000 on October 24 — with about 70,000 in Paris, where the march was rerouted to the city's eastern edge after a court battle over the traditional route.
The movement began in September with high-school students protesting overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and dilapidated buildings, and has since widened into a broader protest over fuel prices, purchasing power and public services. Macron, who leaves office in 2027 after two terms, has blamed ultra-left groups and criminals for the violence that accompanied the October 17 marches, while saying peaceful protesters have legitimate grievances.
The Bordeaux piñata was a symbolic act: protesters directed their anger at the president's likeness rather than at property, as the march continued through the city centre.