France arrests suspect and calls in anti-terror police over Limoges town hall fire
French security forces on Tuesday arrested a man believed to be connected to the ultra-left over the burning down of the historic town hall in Limoges, central France during rioting at the weekend on the sidelines of nationwide protests.
Anti-terror police have also been called in to investigate the suspected arson on the town hall in the central city of Limoges, a building dating back to 1883 whose roof and belfry collapsed when it was engulfed by fire on Saturday.
The destruction of the building has become a symbol of the violent rioting that erupted on the margins of a day of protests on Saturday that were called in a show of anger against grievances including the rising cost of living and conditions in schools.
The man, believed to be aged 40, was arrested by officers from the specialised RAID police unit in the nearby town of Val d’Issoire, the office of the Limoges prosecutor said.
He had previously been flagged as someone requiring surveillance as a potential threat and is linked to ultra-left movements, a source close to the case said.
Meanwhile, France’s Counter-Terrorism Sub-Directorate (SDAT), a branch of the judicial police, has been called in to investigate the case further, another source close to the case added, asking not to be named.
French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said late Monday that anti-terror prosecutors would soon decide whether to investigate the incident as a suspected terror attack.
The right-wing mayor of Limoges, Guillaume Guerin, has lambasted the response by police, who he said “lacked the necessary resources” and “backed down” in the face of rioters.
He called on the government to “inject millions” to rebuild the town hall, adding that “the state has failed.” Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is due to visit Limoges on Friday, his office said.
His criticisms were echoed by Benoît Payan, the left-wing mayor of Marseille, who accused police of allowing rioters to break into the town hall, and not making any arrests.
Around 5,000 people, including 700 individuals described by the authorities as “radicalised and extremely violent,” took part in the demonstration in Limoges on Saturday. Some 7,000 people then took part in a protest to denounce the violence on Sunday evening.
