Masked protesters set fire to the city hall during demonstrations in Limoges, France, on Saturday. The district's top official, Maurice Barate, said the building had been "massively lost". "The roof has collapsed on the lower floors, except for the west wing, and two-thirds of the exterior has already been destroyed," Barate said. The official described the extensive damage to the 143-year-old building as a "heritage disaster" and condemned the incident as a "deliberate act of hooligans".
According to eyewitnesses, a group of masked protesters set fire to a police vehicle in front of the city hall, broke the windows and entered the building and started a fire. Fire crews tried to control the fire late Saturday night. While hundreds of people watched the fire, a municipal employee was seen being consoled by a local council member in tears.
143 YEARS OLD HERITAGE TURNED TO ASH
According to AFP, the fire in Limoges broke out on Saturday during demonstrations across France regarding the cost of living and conditions in schools.
The fire rendered most of the town hall unusable. Local authorities described the extent of the damage as "catastrophic", noting the historical value of the building.
The collapse of most of the building's roof during the fire showed that only the west wing of the building remained standing. The intervention of fire crews continued throughout the night.
VIOLENCE INCREASED: 1200 DEMONSTRators DETAINED
Violence broke out in demonstrations held across France on Saturday. At least 1,200 people were detained in events that the French government described as "an escalation of violence". It is estimated that approximately 550 thousand people participated in the demonstrations. There were significant clashes with the police in Paris until the evening hours; police used tear gas and water cannon on the crowd.
Buildings were set on fire in the capital and other regions, including Limoges. Looting broke out in many cities; Widespread vandalism of municipal buildings and businesses was reported. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that 150 police officers were injured in the incidents.
THE EVENTS SPREAD TO MANY CITIES
The main daylight march in Paris appeared to be largely peaceful. A group of young people told the BBC they were "pacifists" and "just trying to change things but nothing changes". However, as the day progressed, some groups lit fires in the streets.
Demonstrators set fire to vehicles at landmarks in the city center, such as Cumhuriyet Square. Shops were looted and at least one restaurant was destroyed by fire.
Making a statement to BFMTV, Lyon Mayor Gregory Doucet described the burning of the city's tourism office as "a tragedy" and said, "It breaks our hearts because it is a very symbolic, well-known historical building."
Local police said "hostile individuals" prevented firefighters from responding to the fire safely.
In the city of Saint-Etienne, Mayor Regis Juanico announced on social media that a young man's hand was "broken off" due to a small explosive, and said, "Such a tragedy should never have happened."
HARD REACTION FROM MACRON
The French Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that "hooded people" committed "targeted acts of violence" in Saturday's demonstrations in some parts of the capital and in Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers. Damage was reported to buildings across France, including Grenoble, Avignon, Pau, Montpellier and Valence. While clothing and food stores were looted in Paris, an Apple store was robbed in Lille.
President Emmanuel Macron said, "Those who vandalize, target governorates and workplaces, and even loot our municipal buildings will be tried and punished." Prime Minister Lecornu said police faced "extreme intensity of violence" and that some groups were using the demonstrations as a "warm-up" for the presidential election. Lecornu said, "No one can impose their political agenda through violence."
Far-right National League leader Marine Le Pen accused Jean-Luc Mélenchon of inciting violence, arguing that demonstrators' "legitimate demands were being held hostage by the far left." Mélenchon, on the other hand, accused police officers of being "out of control" against the demonstrators; He also condemned looting and arson. Lecornu considered Mélenchon's words "dangerous and cynical".
