Limoges fire exposes France's divide over protests

The fire that destroyed Limoges' 19th-century city hall during nationwide protests has become a symbol of France's deep political divisions, with the town's mayor blaming the hard left for the damage. The blaze, which collapsed the building's wooden clock tower, drew widespread shock and anger across the country. Conservative Mayor Guillaume Guérin, six months into his term, called the destruction "a historical tragedy for France" and said he received support from US Vice President JD Vance but not from President Emmanuel Macron. Two men, aged 66 and 34, have been arrested over links to "radical-left networks," while protests have expanded from high school conditions to broader frustration over the cost of living. The town remains split, with younger residents like 24-year-old Alexander arguing that poverty matters more than a building, while older locals such as 63-year-old Jean Roger Faucher, who married in the hall, called the week "chaos." Officials have banned demonstrations and imposed curfews in Limoges ahead of presidential elections in six months.