Special forces arrest activist after Limoges town hall fire
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The government has admitted that the police deployment for the October 17 mobilizations was inadequate following a weekend of looting and arson. In Limoges, the RAID special forces arrested a 40-year-old activist in connection with the fire that gutted the town hall, and the anti-terrorist unit has taken over the investigation.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is beginning consultations to resolve a political crisis that has left the country on what critics call the brink of revolt. His initial strategy includes a new circular to strip convicted looters of their social benefits. Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry and insurance companies have begun a dispute over who will pay for the damage.
While the government blames the far-left for the chaos, some intelligence officers claim they were specifically instructed to target Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s party for blame. Law enforcement unions have warned they cannot handle a repeat of the weekend; the state’s response so far has been to impose curfews in Paris, Lyon, and Nice.