Police arrest suspect after Limoges town hall fire amid France protests
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A 40-year-old man on a security watchlist was detained after rioters set fire to the historic Limoges town hall, causing extensive damage during the latest wave of unrest in France.
Police in France detained a 40-year-old suspect after rioters broke into and set fire to the 19th-century town hall in Limoges, causing the roof to collapse and destroying much of the building's exterior. The individual, described by a police source to Le Figaro as a "far-left activist" and previously known to law-enforcement for violence against public officials, was taken into custody following the incident.
Local prefect Maurice Barate told AFP that the roof had collapsed onto the lower floors, sparing only the west wing, and that two-thirds of the exterior had been lost. He characterized the blaze as a "deliberate act by hooligans" and noted the damage to a structure that had been listed as a historic landmark in 1975.
The attack occurred as far-left anti-government protests entered their fourth week, with demonstrators across the country expressing anger over rising living costs. French authorities have reported hundreds of arrests linked to the unrest, and security forces have been deployed to prevent further violence.
"The roof has collapsed onto lower floors, except the west wing, and two-thirds of the exterior has already disappeared," prefect Barate said.
The incident adds to a series of arson and looting incidents that have targeted public buildings during the ongoing demonstrations.