France arrests man, calls in counterterror police over burning of town hall

French security forces arrest a man believed to be connected to the ultra-left over the burning down of a historic town hall in central France during rioting at the weekend as part 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 Saturday that were called in a show of anger against grievances including the rising cost of living and conditions in schools.

The scenes of the building collapsing as it was hit by fire also brought back memories in France of the April 2019 fire that ravaged Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris which investigators believe started by accident but horrified the country.

The man, believed to be aged 40, was arrested by officers from the specialized RAID police unit in the nearby town of Val d’Issoire, the office of the Limoges prosecutor says.

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 says.

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 adds, asking not to be named.