Limoges town hall gutted by fire as France arrests 2,500+ amid nationwide disorder
A far-left suspect has been arrested after Limoges's 19th-century city hall was set alight. Over 2,500 people detained as protests sweep France.
Far-left suspect held after Limoges city hall fire as France cracks down on rioters
A 40-year-old man with links to a far-left movement has been arrested in France after the 19th-century city hall in Limoges was gutted by fire during mass disorder over the weekend, bbc.co.uk reports, citing French media.
The ornate building's clock tower and sections of its roof were engulfed in flames before collapsing on Saturday. The suspect is recorded as an "S" subject — a classification used by French authorities to designate individuals considered a potential threat to national security — and is known for prior acts of violence against public officials, according to FranceInfo.
More than 2,500 people have been arrested since the unrest began, officials confirmed on Monday. French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin told CNews-Europe that over 120 people had already been imprisoned. One demonstrator lost a hand after being struck by a police crowd-control grenade, AFP reported. Around 1,000 police officers sustained injuries.
Darmanin called on prosecutors to be "extremely firm" and "ruthless towards those who attacked police officers, gendarmes and firefighters, who looted shops and who attacked public buildings."
Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across France to protest against rising fuel prices, the cost of living and deteriorating public services, including schools. Rioters, some dressed in black and wearing masks and balaclavas, were filmed setting fire to cars and buildings and looting businesses in Paris, Marseille and other cities.
More than 2,000 shops and businesses were directly affected by the weekend's violence, according to the head of France's Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Targeted curfews introduced across France on Monday produced a quieter night. Restrictions were imposed on parts of central Paris — including Place de la République and the Les Halles shopping district — as well as cities including Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon and Lille. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said decisions on further curfews for Tuesday night would be made "on the ground" by regional authorities and local mayors.
Lecornu had earlier not ruled out declaring a state of emergency, though Darmanin insisted such a step was unnecessary as it would "deprive all French people of their individual freedoms."
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez acknowledged that police had "lost control" in some cities and faced sharp criticism from opposition politicians over the authorities' level of preparedness. He offered his resignation on Monday; President Emmanuel Macron rejected it.
The protests were initially sparked last month by students demanding improved school conditions, but have since expanded to encompass broader grievances, with trade unions and various protest groups swelling the numbers. Organisers have announced a second round of demonstrations will take place on Saturday across France. The so-called yellow vests — gilets jaunes — who led France's longest modern protest movement in 2018, said "Act II" will take place this weekend.
Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)