Residents gathered in Limoges on Sunday (October 18) to denounce violence that largely destroyed the city's historic town hall during nationwide protests a day earlier.

Crowds applauded the speech of city’s mayor, Guillaume Guerin, before marching from Place de la Republique to the damaged town hall.

One participant described the gathering as a moment to come together after the shock of the unrest, while another defended the right to protest but condemned the destruction of the town hall.

Authorities said masked protesters broke into the 19th-century building and set it alight on Saturday (October 17) during demonstrations over the cost of living that drew around 550,000 people across France

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

RESIDENTS FROM LIMOGES AND SURROUNDING CITIES MARCHING FROM PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE TO DAMAGED TOWN HALL / SOUNDBITES FROM PARTICIPANTS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: LIMOGES, FRANCE (OCTOBER 18, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. PEOPLE GATHERED AT PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE APPLAUDING

2. VARIOUS OF MAYOR OF LIMOGES, GUILLAUME GUERIN, GIVING SPEECH

3. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE APPLAUDING

4. (SOUNDBITE) (French) AGNES VINAIS, RETIRED, SAYING:

“I felt it was a very important moment of coming together because we’re extremely shocked by everything that’s happening. I think it’s a moment that allows us to respond calmly, but with determination, and perhaps it will be a wake-up call that makes us realise everything that’s going wrong in this country right now.”

5. PEOPLE GATHERED AT PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE LISTENING TO SPEECH

6. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCOIS DUZOU, RETIRED, SAYING:

“You can demonstrate, of course you can. I’ll be one of the first to take to the streets, I’ve done it before. But burning down a town hall, knocking over a bust of Marianne, where does that get us? Nowhere, in my opinion. So this is a moment for the people of Limoges to come together. I’m not from Limoges myself, I come from somewhere else, but today I really feel like I’m one of them.”

7. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING FROM PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE TO DAMAGED TOWN HALL

8. PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE DAMAGED TOWN HALL

9. VARIOUS OF MORE PEOPLE ARRIVING / PEOPLE APPLAUDING

10. PLACARD READING (French): “Stop the arsonists” / FREE FRENCH FLAG WAVING

11. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE DAMAGED TOWN HALL