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France: Masked rioters unleashes violence on highway in Limoges, clashes with police
Police stand at the front of the Richmond Road Baptist Church as other officers maintain a perimeter following a shooting at the church in Lexington, Ky. AP
Dozens of masked attackers armed with metal rods, fireworks, and Molotov cocktails clashed with police and targeted vehicles on a highway in central France's Limoges early Saturday, officials said.
The violent overnight incident left nine police officers injured and is believed to be linked to a turf war between gangs, according to authorities.
The attackers attempted to block the RN141 highway, disrupting traffic and confronting police with weapons ranging from stones and iron bars to petrol bombs. Officers responded with tear gas and crowd-control measures.
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'There were between 100 and 150 masked individuals, armed and prepared,' said local police union leader Laurent Nadeau.
Limoges Mayor Émile Roger Lombertie described the group as an 'urban guerrilla' unit. 'This wasn't a protest or demonstration. There was no message, no cause—just destruction and a show of force,' he said.
Prosecutors confirmed that several vehicles, including those carrying families with children, were attacked. While no motorists were physically harmed, many were left deeply shaken.
The violence comes in the middle of France's busy summer tourism season. Just days earlier, unrest had broken out in the nearby Val de l'Aurence area on Bastille Day, July 14. The mayor described the neighborhood—home to many immigrants and known for poverty—as a 'lawless zone.'
Limoges prosecutor Émilie Abrantes acknowledged the area's reputation for drug activity but said there was no clear link between the attack and recent anti-drug operations.
France's interior ministry has announced that a special security force will be deployed to Limoges to restore order.
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