Limoges, October 18 (askanews) – Images of the bell tower of Limoges town hall, which collapsed after the 19th-century building was set on fire during violent protests against high living costs that erupted in several cities across France. “The roof collapsed on the lower floors, with the exception of the west wing, and two-thirds of the façade is already gone,” said Maurice Barate, prefect of Haute-Vienne, calling it a “heritage catastrophe” and a “deliberate act of vandalism.”
There were no injuries. The demonstrations drew 550 people across the country and led to at least 400 arrests, according to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. Clashes erupted in Paris at the Place de la Concorde, with some protesters throwing objects at police, who responded by firing tear gas.
Askanews