French police have arrested a man suspected of involvement in the fire that devastated the historic town hall in Limoges during rioting on October 17. The municipal building, which dates back to 1883, suffered extensive damage, with both its roof and belfry collapsing during the blaze.
The arrest comes as France prepares to deploy military forces during further protests planned for the coming Saturday. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that the military’s Sentinelle force will be utilized as a substitute for interior security forces, primarily to free up police and gendarmes to focus on maintaining order.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu told parliament that the police deployment for upcoming demonstrations will be massive, emphasizing that the government’s immediate goal is an immediate return to order. Authorities have continued to enforce partial curfews across the country, including in Paris and Nice, following days of riots, looting, and widespread destruction. Lecornu defended the measure on Tuesday, telling parliament that localised curfews are efficient and helped to restore calm.
The unrest in France has coincided with similar protests across Europe over the cost of living crisis, a lack of affordable housing, and deteriorating public services. In France alone, authorities reported that as many as 550,000 people turned out on Saturday to demonstrate against declining public services, with demonstrations in Paris turning particularly violent as shops were looted and cars set on fire.
Prime Minister Lecornu openly admitted shortcomings in the government’s handling of last weekend’s protests, acknowledging that while some operations succeed, others go wrong. Interior Minister Nunez noted that officials need to be better at anticipating protests as they unfold, pointing out that initial security measures proved asymmetrical to the massive number of participants.
Meanwhile, unrest has spread to other European nations, including Belgium, Albania, and Italy. In Italy, where cost-of-living protests escalated into clashes with police, vandalism, and looting, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government announced tougher security measures. Italy is deploying 500 army troops to defend Milan and has approved new penalties, including a specific offence for violent participation in demonstrations and potential financial liability for parents of children involved in looting or vandalism. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto warned that the weekend violence in Milan was caused by a hybrid war being waged against the West.
Amid the ongoing security concerns across the continent, sporting and public events are navigating heightened precautions. The NFL announced that Sunday’s scheduled matchup in Paris between the New Orleans Saints and the Pittsburgh Steelers will proceed as planned under heightened security measures.
