Limoges arson: second arrest, suspect's custody extended

A second suspect, aged 66, was arrested Thursday morning in the Creuse department, following the Tuesday arrest of a man in his thirties in Haute-Vienne, the primary suspect in the arson attack on Limoges city hall. The first suspect's custody has been extended by 48 hours, and he is now being investigated for attempted murder of police officers who were inside the building during the fire, according to prosecutor Émilie Abrantes. The second man is held for organized gang destruction of property by a dangerous means. The city hall, inaugurated in 1883 and classified as a historic monument, was largely destroyed during the October 17 protest that saw violent clashes with police. Mayor Guillaume Guérin has blamed "the ultra-left" and pointed to the Millevaches plateau, a rural area known for its radical population.