French interior minister admits police ‘lost control’ of protests
Paris – France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez admitted Monday that the police “lost control” in some cities during violent protests that erupted in cities across the country at the weekend. ???????????? Limoges city hall set on fire by rioters at the end of the Oct. 17 protest; the bell tower collapsed and the prefect says the building is “largely lost”... Read more → The post French interior minister admits police ‘lost control’ of protests appeared first on African Insider.
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Paris – France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez admitted Monday that the police “lost control” in some cities during violent protests that erupted in cities across the country at the weekend.
Limoges city hall set on fire by rioters at the end of the Oct. 17 protest; the bell tower collapsed and the prefect says the building is “largely lost”
Rioters attacked Limoges’ hôtel de ville late Saturday afternoon after the Oct. 17 cost-of-living march, breaking windows and setting fire to the ground floor; cars were also burned outside. Firefighters arrived shortly after 6 p.m., and the flames reached the roof around 7 p.m. and were still burning at 8:10 p.m. The 43-meter bell tower collapsed. Prefect Maurice Barate said the roof fell onto the lower floors except in the west wing and two-thirds of the facade had disappeared, calling the building “largely lost,” a “heritage catastrophe” and a “deliberate act” by rioters. The 19th-century building, opened in 1883 and inspired by Paris’s city hall, is a listed monument. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the fire; Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said “we will not be intimidated.” Earlier in Limoges, fireworks mortars were fired at police near the A20 interchange, a police vehicle was burned and shops were looted. Reported by AFP, franceinfo, Europe 1 and Flash FM.
NOT CONFIRMED: Which artworks and decorations inside have been destroyed. Claims that works by Henri-Paul Motte, Jean-Joseph Weerts and Urbain Bourgeois are definitively lost have not been confirmed by officials, and no inventory has been published. I also found no figure on injuries or arrests in Limoges.
Saturday’s national mobilization against the cost of living drew a very large turnout, with CNews reporting more than 550,000 demonstrators, while violence was concentrated in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Limoges, including a brief break-in at Marseille’s city hall.
The loss of a historic city hall turns a day of mostly peaceful marches into a symbolic national event and will dominate the political response. What to watch: the official damage and heritage assessment once the fire is out, arrests and charges for arson, the government’s response including any new security measures, and whether the unions and student groups distance themselves from the violence.
Sources: AFP; franceinfo / France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine; Europe 1; CNews; Flash FM; Haute-Vienne prefecture; Interior Ministry.
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The Informant (@theinformant_x) October 17, 2026
He said there had been a “lack of anticipation” in preparations and that he had tendered his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron “because I felt responsible for everything that happened.” Macron did not accept his resignation.
“There is evidence suggesting that there has been an abuse of power, with thousands of arrests and violence.”
EU law professor @alemannoEU on #EuropeToday as France counts the cost of this weekend’s protests. https://t.co/w0JvEAzfsB
— euronews (@euronews) October 19, 2026
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Source: AFP
The post French interior minister admits police ‘lost control’ of protests appeared first on African Insider.
