French Riots: Limoges Town Hall Destroyed in Protest Violence

France-wide protests against high living costs escalated into severe riots on Saturday, with the 143-year-old town hall in Limoges set ablaze and largely destroyed. Authorities called it a deliberate act by rioters who entered the building and started fires. Around 400 people were arrested nationwide, with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reporting 550,000 participants, while organizers claimed 800,000. President Emmanuel Macron vowed criminal prosecution for those attacking public buildings and shops, stating "there is no place for violence in our republic." The protests, organized via social media without clear leadership, also drew students and various groups, raising government fears of a revival of the 2019 "Yellow Vest" movement. Similar cost-of-living protests occurred in Belgium, where police used tear gas and water cannons.