Published October 18, 2026
PARIS: Protests over rising living costs and weakening public services turned violent across France on Saturday, with clashes, arson and looting in several major cities. In Limoges, masked individuals set fire to the town hall, leaving much of the 143-year-old building devastated.
Historic landmark destroyed
According to the Haute-Vienne prefecture, rioters broke into the Limoges town hall at around 6 pm on Saturday and set it ablaze. Witnesses said the group first set a police car on fire outside, then smashed windows and entered the building.
Local prefect Maurice Barate said the roof had collapsed onto the lower floors, apart from the west wing, and that around two-thirds of the building’s exterior was already gone. Mayor Guillaume Guérin said the bell tower collapsed as the flames spread. The prefecture described the town hall as a heritage site and iconic landmark that was largely destroyed. Barate strongly condemned the “arson attack.” An AFP reporter saw a town hall employee in tears, comforted by an elected official, as hundreds watched the blaze.
Construction of the building began in 1879, and it was inaugurated on 14 July 1883. The extent of the damage was still being assessed.
Unrest in other cities
What began as largely peaceful marches over soaring prices and falling living standards escalated as masked youths torched vehicles, ransacked shops and attacked public buildings in cities including Paris, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux, Lille and Strasbourg. Town halls in Limoges, Marseille and Lille were targeted. In Marseille, protesters entered a municipal administration building, and a tourist office caught fire in Lyon.
In Paris, police clashed with demonstrators for hours. Police used tear gas and water cannon against protesters who hurled projectiles and set off fireworks. Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said “whole streets have been devastated.”
Arrests and injuries
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said around 1,200 people had been arrested and more than 150 police officers injured. Authorities reported 855 of those arrests in Paris alone. Lecornu called it “a miracle the toll isn’t higher.” He blamed far-left extremists and criminals for the violence.
The government estimated that about 550,000 people took part, while organizers put the figure at around 800,000. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the Paris march alone drew about 110,000 people.
What is driving the protests
The demonstrations began over poor school conditions and expanded into nationwide protests against inflation and declining public services. The CGT trade union, the France Unbowed party and the New Anticapitalist Party joined, and organizers drew inspiration from the Yellow Vest movement.
The mayors of Paris, Marseille and Lyon called for a transparent investigation and asked to meet the prime minister early next week.
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