Flames engulfed the 19th Century city hall in Limoges on Saturday as rioters set fire to the ornate building, causing its clock tower and roof to collapse. The blaze followed one of the largest days of unrest in modern French history, as some 550,000 people took to the streets protesting rising fuel prices, the cost of living, and cuts to public services.
President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation from the Élysée Palace on Sunday, urging “calm and order” and warning those involved not to “escalate” the violence. “We all feel anger and shame,” he said. Macron drew a clear line between the “legitimate demands” of demonstrators and “those who destroyed, smashed and looted.” The president condemned the “unbridled” violence and promised that those responsible would face justice.
The protests began largely peaceful but descended into rioting and looting in Paris, Marseille, Lille, and other cities. Police arrested approximately 2,400 people over the weekend, according to France’s interior ministry. Clashes continued into Sunday on a smaller scale, with tear gas and stun grenades used against hundreds in Paris, where bottles and rocks were again hurled at officers.
In Limoges, residents surveyed the ruins of their town hall on Sunday morning. A local woman named Annèyse spoke near the damaged building, saying: “This is very upsetting. Harming heritage buildings just because you are angry at the government is selfish, I think. It’s hurting everybody.” Another man, Gerrard, added: “It’s awful and unbelievable. We are very sad and I think it will be a long time to put it back as it was before.”
Shopkeepers in Paris were seen clearing glass shards from looted stores as city workers removed debris from main streets. Fires were lit and shops broken into during ongoing disorder on Sunday. Macron said local officials would draft measures to protect commercial and civic buildings.
The weekend saw at least 1,000 police officers injured, seven seriously, according to the interior ministry. Images showed riot police using water cannons and batons. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the violence was driven by “several thousand far-left individuals” targeting public buildings, later joined by “delinquents who looted and ransacked numerous businesses.” He acknowledged the right to protest but condemned the “outrages.”
The unrest follows weeks of student protests that escalated when trade unions and anti-government groups joined on Saturday. Political figures have responded sharply as France approaches a presidential election in April, which could see the hard-right National Rally face off against the hard-left La France Insoumise.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France Insoumise, criticised the police response on social media, accusing the authorities of “complete incompetence” and calling them “specialists in organised chaos.” Marine Le Pen, head of the National Rally, condemned the “exploitation” of public anger by “political forces that encourage violence.”
Macron promised “full transparency” over the police’s handling of the protests. Local prefects and mayors were tasked with protecting vulnerable sites, but the scale of destruction—especially in Limoges—has left many questioning how quickly normality can return.
According to Joy Online.
