The 143-year-old town hall in Limoges, central France, was “largely lost” to a fire set by masked protesters on Saturday, local prefect Maurice Barate told AFP. The arson came during nationwide cost-of-living demonstrations that turned violent in several French cities.
What the Limoges prefect confirms about the damage
Barate gave AFP a blunt account of the building’s state: the roof had collapsed onto the lower floors, except over the west wing, and two-thirds of the exterior had already disappeared. He called it a catastrophe for heritage
and blamed a deliberate act by hooligans.
The clock tower did not survive either. Eyewitness footage captured the spire’s turret falling in a ball of flames, and fire crews were still fighting the blaze late into the night.
Euronews noted that the full extent of the damage was still being assessed.
UPDATE – The town hall's historic bell tower in Limoges has collapsed. The building is on the verge of burning down. pic.twitter.com/iJKdzHKHFN
How the fire started, according to witnesses
Witnesses told AFP that a group of masked protesters first torched a police car outside the building. They were then seen smashing windows and going inside to light the fire. Several shops in the city centre were also looted.
Hundreds of people watched the building burn. One municipal employee was seen in tears, comforted by a local councillor.
Built in 1883, a landmark since 1975
Fox News reported that the Limoges Town Hall dates to 1883 and became a historic landmark in 1975. The city lies about three hours south of Paris.
Macron and Nuñez: prosecutions promised, far-left groups blamed
On Saturday, President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media that There is no place for violence in our republic.
He said those who attacked prefectures and businesses, and looted town halls, would be prosecuted and punished. Fox News describes Macron as outgoing and says he leaves office in six months.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said around 400 people were arrested Saturday. More than half a million people joined more than 100 marches nationwide. Masked groups also tried to break into city halls in Lille and Calais and a police station in Brest, he said, and violence hit Rennes, Toulouse, Montpellier and Grenoble. Nuñez blamed extremely violent, radical far-left groups.
Fox News says the protests entered their fourth week and that many of them passed without violence. In Paris, police used tear gas and water cannons on hooded, masked groups throwing fireworks in the Place de la République.
Open questions after the Limoges fire
The sources do not say whether anyone has been arrested for the Limoges arson itself, whether anyone was hurt, or when the fire was brought under control. The final damage assessment is also pending, and none of the reports gives a timeline for it.