France's historic Limoges Town Hall burns down amid protests; JD Vance blames ‘immigration’ for unrest

The historic Town Hall in Limoges, France, burned down following a massive fire that engulfed the landmark amid protests over rising living costs, which took place in Paris and other French cities on Saturday. The building, constructed in 1873 and inaugurated in 1883, had survived both World Wars but was unable to withstand the violent clashes between police and protesters.

US Vice President JD Vance blamed "Western liberals" for mass immigration into France and other countries, accusing them of importing people from developing nations under the guise of diversity and compassion. Vance warned Americans to pay attention and expressed hope that France would stop the "madness" before more of its landmarks are destroyed.

The Interior Ministry reported that around 550,000 people participated in protests, with 400 arrests made and police using tear gas and water cannons against masked protesters. Protesters set a tourist office on fire in Lyon, broke into town halls in Marseille and Lille, and damaged a police compound in Bordeaux. Dozens of shops were looted in multiple cities, including Paris, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux, and Lille.

Police fired tear gas to stop protesters attempting to reach the Champs-Elysees, which houses luxury stores. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the vandalism, attacks on administrative offices, and looting, promising that those involved would be prosecuted. The unrest was fueled by various groups, including the Yellow Vests movement, which began in 2018 to protest rising living costs, and it later expanded to focus on public spending and the cost of living.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez had anticipated a significant mobilization, and police were prepared for potential violence by extremist elements in major cities. The unrest also coincides with France's upcoming elections in six months to replace President Macron.