New consequence of the violence in Martinique. After Thursday’s announcement of a curfew and the ban on demonstrations throughout the country until Monday, the prefecture announced this Friday morning that the island’s airport was closed. “Following the closure of Aimé Césaire airport in Martinique at the end of the day, three flights were diverted” to Guadeloupe, with “1,117 passengers on board,” the prefecture said in a press release on Thursday.
Thursday, a night of chaos was marked by looting, fires and violence which left 26 police and gendarmes injured.
A man was also shot and killed in circumstances that are still undetermined: he was found injured by the gendarmes who were intervening against the looting of a shopping center in Robert (east) and died in hospital, according to the prefecture of Martinique. An investigation was opened, added the prefecture, ruling out the involvement of the police who “did not use their weapons during the riots”. From a source close to the case, the man was the victim of a settling of scores between rioters.
Since September, the Caribbean island has been marked by a movement against the high cost of living, a recurring theme in overseas territories, which has degenerated into urban violence.
Schools closed, blank plan at the hospital
Thursday afternoon, more than fifty people invaded the runway of Fort-de-France airport in the town of Lamentin (center), a police source told AFP.
They intended to denounce the arrival of reinforcements from the police. An Air Caraibes plane which was due to land in Martinique was heading towards Guadeloupe around 4:30 p.m. local time, according to the flight tracking site Flight Radar 24.
The prefect of the island, Jean-Christophe Bouvier, signed two decrees on Thursday concerning “the entire territory of Martinique”. The first establishes a curfew from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., the second prohibits gatherings and demonstrations from 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both orders run until Monday.
Schools will also remain closed for the second consecutive day on Friday, indicated the Martinique rectorate.
The Martinique University Hospital announced on Thursday the launch of a blank plan during which “deprogramming of surgical procedures or consultations are organized”.
“However, particular attention is paid to urgent or cancer-related interventions,” added the University Hospital in its press release, specifying that “canceled appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible.” . In addition, pharmacies on the island declared on the same day “no longer able to provide emergency service”.
The situation had calmed down in recent weeks but incidents broke out on Monday between the CRS and activists who were carrying out a blocking action in Lamentin, near Fort-de-France. Since then, urban violence has been recorded again every night.
