About 1,200 people have been arrested and 150 police officers have been injured in protests in France, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said. Demonstrations against rising living costs and in support of student demands have turned into clashes, looting and attacks on public buildings in several cities.
According to the Interior Ministry, 550,000 people took part in the marches. The CGT union put the number at 800,000. Police used tear gas and water cannons against protesters who threw objects and fireworks.
The town hall in Limoges was badly damaged
The most serious material damage was in Limoges, where the historic town hall was set on fire at the end of the demonstration. According to information from France Presse, masked people broke windows, entered the building and set it on fire. A municipal police car was also set on fire in front of the town hall.
The building, built in 1883, was badly damaged. The roof collapsed and about two-thirds of the facade was destroyed. "The building is largely lost," said Maurice Barratt, the prefect of the Haute-Vienne department, who described the incident as a "catastrophe for cultural heritage."
Attacks in several French cities
Lossings were reported in Paris, Marseille, Nice, Nantes, Bordeaux, Limoges, Lille, Toulouse and Strasbourg. In Paris, masked groups set fire to parked cars and smashed shops. In Marseille, protesters broke into the lobby of the city hall, and in Lyon, the tourist information center was set on fire.
Authorities also reported attacks on administrative buildings in Bordeaux, attempts to break into the city halls of Lille and Calais, and an attack on a police station in Brest.
President Emmanuel Macron said that the perpetrators of vandalism and looting would be prosecuted and punished. "The right to protest goes hand in hand with respect for people and property," he wrote.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin called for an "extremely strong" judicial response against those who attacked police officers, firefighters, public buildings and shops. The unrest followed weeks of student protests over education conditions, rising costs and criticism of police actions.
Sources: apnews.com, afp.com, lemonde.fr