A 143-year-old town hall in the French city of Limoges has been largely destroyed by fire after masked rioters set the building ablaze during nationwide protests over the cost of living, an incident local officials have called a catastrophe for French heritage.
The building, constructed in 1883 and designated a historic landmark in 1975, suffered extensive damage after its roof collapsed onto lower floors.
Local prefect Maurice Barate reportedly told another news agency, AFP, that “the roof has collapsed onto lower floors, except the west wing, and two-thirds of the exterior has already disappeared”.
Barate described the incident as “a deliberate act by hooligans” and called the destruction a “catastrophe for heritage” .
The fire came as demonstrations over the cost of living and opposition to the government entered their fourth week.
More than 500,000 demonstrators took part in over 100 marches across France on Saturday, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
Macron Vows Prosecution as Violence Spreads
Outgoing French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence in a televised address on Sunday evening. “There is no place for violence in our republic,” he said.
Macron promised that those responsible would face justice. “Those who have broken, attacked the prefectures as well as businesses, looted even our town halls, will be prosecuted and punished,” he said.
He also expressed support for security forces tasked with maintaining order. “To the law enforcement forces, guarantors of the right to demonstrate, I express the support of the Nation,” Macron said.
The president blamed the unrest on “extremely violent, radical far-left groups” joined by criminals, while acknowledging that concerns about rising living costs were legitimate.
Nuñez said about 400 people were arrested on Saturday. Masked groups also attempted to break into town halls in Lille and Calais, as well as a police station in Brest. Violence was also reported in Rennes, Toulouse, Montpellier and Grenoble.
Trump and Vance Seize on Unrest
US President Donald Trump blamed immigration for the unrest, urging France to tighten its border controls.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump wrote: “France is burning! The immigration of people from an entirely different world, people with hatred in their hearts, has shattered that once great country. Close your Borders and take control, before it is too late!“.
Trump’s remarks followed similar comments by US Vice President JD Vance, who also blamed immigration and multiculturalism for the unrest.
“Western liberals imported the third world into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion. They ignored fundamental questions of assimilation and compatibility. They were told it would lead to this, and they didn’t listen,” Vance wrote on X on Saturday.
Vance, a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2028, also linked the unrest to the US political climate ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
“I pray that France, a beautiful country of amazing people, will stop this madness before more of its landmarks burn,” he added.
French authorities, however, have attributed the violence to far-left groups and criminal elements, not immigration.
A Nation Braces for More Turmoil
The unrest has increased pressure on Macron, with the country preparing for elections to choose his successor in about six months.
The destruction of the Limoges town hall marks a major loss for the city’s heritage, as a landmark dating back to the 19th century was left largely destroyed amid the unrest.
Firefighters contained the blaze by Sunday, but the building remains largely lost. As hundreds watched the town hall burn on Saturday, a municipal employee was seen in tears, comforted by a local councilor.
