Emergency workers in Limoges on Sunday (October 18) assessed the damage to the 143-year-old city hall, after protesters set fire to the building on a day of violent protests across France.

Across the country, France woke to the wreckage of one of its most violent days of unrest in years after protests over high prices and public services left one demonstrator dead, hundreds of police injured and nearly 1,800 people arrested.

Nationwide demonstrations erupted into riots on Saturday, with Limoges City Hall mostly destroyed in an arson attack, shops ransacked, and buildings covered in graffiti as violent groups clashed with police in cities across the country.

The unrest has increased pressure on Macron and his government. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the government would not be "intimidated" by violence, and blamed the unrest on the "ultra-left" and criminals, with a presidential election due next year.

The protests began last month over school conditions and teacher shortages in working-class suburbs, before broadening into a movement against inequality, public spending cuts and the rising cost of living.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

LIMOGES, FRANCE (OCTOBER 18, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF LIMOGES TOWN HALL AFTER FIRE

2. EU FLAG FLYING FROM TOWN HALL

3. CHIEF OF LIMOGES FIRE DEPARTMENT, FRANCK MACHINGORENA, TALKING TO MAN

4. (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHIEF OF LIMOGES FIRE DEPARTMENT, FRANCK MACHINGORENA, SAYING:

“Firefighters were deployed quite quickly. The fire spread to the roof at that point and from this point on- we were dealing with an old structure, the building is over 100 years old— the fire spread along the facade, and into the wings of the building.”

5. EMERGENCY VEHICLE IN ROAD

6. EU FLAG FLYING FROM TOWN HALL

7. VARIOUS OF LIMOGES TOWN HALL / SMOKE FROM TOWN HALL

8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHIEF OF LIMOGES FIRE DEPARTMENT, FRANCK MACHINGORENA, SAYING:

“We’re dealing with wooden roofs, zinc cladding—all of these materials burn quite rapidly. As soon as they’re exposed to heat, that’s simply what happens.”

9. VARIOUS OF LIMOGES TOWN HALL

10. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT TOWN HALL

11. TOWN HALL

12. EU FLAG FLYING FROM TOWN HALL / SMOKE RISING

13. WOMAN SHIELDING EYES FROM SUN LOOKING ON

14. PEOPLE LOOKING ON

15. (SOUNDBITE) (French) CHIEF OF LIMOGES FIRE DEPARTMENT, FRANCK MACHINGORENA, SAYING:

“So, our current challenge is to continue extinguishing flames in the hall, while remaining mindful of the risk that a facade or a floor could collapse—especially since a portion of the roof has fallen onto one of the floors. Naturally, the added weight could cause that floor to give way, which would create further complications for our response efforts.”

16. VARIOUS OF CRANE WITH EMERGENCY WORKERS NEXT TO TOWN HALL