France Riots: Limoges Town Hall ‘Largely Lost’ in Historic Landmark Fire
Nearly half a million join nationwide cost-of-living marches as police arrest 400
A 143-year-old historic building in Limoges, France, has been “largely lost” after rioters set it ablaze during a nationwide protest over the cost of living. The Limoges Town Hall, constructed in 1883 and designated a historic landmark in 1975, suffered a collapsed roof and the loss of two-thirds of its exterior facade, according to local prefect Maurice Barate.
“The roof has collapsed onto lower floors, except the west wing, and two-thirds of the exterior has already disappeared,” Barate said, calling the attack “a deliberate act by hooligans” and a “catastrophe for heritage.”
The destruction comes as far-left demonstrations and violent clashes enter their fourth week across France. On Saturday, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported around 400 arrests and participation of more than half a million people in over 100 marches nationwide.
Masked groups attempted to breach city halls in Lille and Calais and a police station in Brest, Nuñez said, with violence also reported in Rennes, Toulouse, Montpellier, and Grenoble.
Outgoing President Emmanuel Macron addressed the unrest from social media, stating, “There is no place for violence in our republic.” He warned that those who have “broken, attacked the prefectures as well as businesses, looted even our town halls, will be prosecuted and punished.”
Macron leaves office in six months, with the country heading into a presidential election amid the unrest.
Police used tear gas and water cannons in Paris to disperse rioters wearing hoods and masks who threw fireworks and other objects at officers near Place de la République.
Nuñez blamed the violence on “extremely violent, radical far-left groups,” though he noted many protests remained peaceful.
A police source told AFP that authorities estimated nearly 200,000 people could take part in the nationwide demonstrations, with 40,000 in Paris alone.
