The historic Limoges Town Hall in France has been largely lost after being set on fire by rioters during ongoing anti-government demonstrations. The building, constructed in 1883 and designated a historic landmark in 1975, suffered severe structural damage that local officials described as a catastrophe for heritage.
Maurice Barate, the local prefect, told the AFP news agency that the roof collapsed onto lower floors, with the exception of the west wing. He reported that two-thirds of the exterior had already disappeared. Barate characterized the incident as a deliberate act by hooligans.
The destruction occurred as far-left anti-government protests and violent clashes entered their fourth week in France, driven by concerns over the cost of living. Outgoing President Emmanuel Macron addressed the unrest on social media, stating there is no place for violence in the republic. He warned that those who broke into or attacked prefectures, businesses, and town halls would be prosecuted and punished. Macron also expressed support for law enforcement forces, describing them as guarantors of the right to demonstrate, and called for unity against those he labeled sowers of chaos who seek to undermine institutions.
Macron leaves office in six months. According to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, around 400 people were arrested on Saturday while more than half a million people participated in over 100 marches across the country. Nuñez reported that masked groups attempted to break into city halls in Lille and Calais, as well as a police station in Brest. Violence was also recorded in Rennes, Toulouse, Montpellier, and Grenoble.
The interior minister blamed the unrest on extremely violent, radical far-left groups. While many protests proceeded without violence, others descended into riots. In Paris, police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent groups at the Place de la République, where individuals wearing hoods and masks threw fireworks and other objects at officers.