Lyon tourist office destroyed by vandals in cost-of-living protest fire

A 174-year-old heritage building housing Lyon's tourist office was destroyed by fire on Saturday after vandals set it ablaze during a protest against the high cost of living; firefighters were unable to save the structure. Dozens of masked individuals climbed onto the roof, broke windows, and started the fire. Firefighters were blocked by hostile groups for over an hour and repeatedly interrupted by clashes with riot police before securing the scene. Lyon's mayor, Grégory Doucet, called the loss heartbreaking and incomprehensible, noting no clear link to protest demands. Looting of shops continued into the evening in the city's peninsula area.