Rodrigue Petitot, president of the Rally for the Protection of Afro-Caribbean Peoples and Resources, was arrested this Tuesday, November 12 in Fort-de-France. The day before, he had entered the property of the prefect of Martinique, demanding to be received by the Minister of Overseas Territories currently visiting the island.
Rodrigue Petitot, figure of the movement against the high cost of living in Martinique and president of the Rally for the Protection of Afro-Caribbean Peoples and Resources (RPPRAC), was arrested this Tuesday, November 12 and placed in police custody, BFMTV learned, confirming information from La1ère.
On social networks, the images of his arrest were massively relayed: we can see several hooded police officers surrounding the man nicknamed “the R”, recognizable by his red outfit.
Rodrigue Petitot was arrested less than 24 hours after a heated altercation between him and Jean-Christophe Bouvier, the prefect of Martinique.
According to the prefecture, the events occurred on the evening of Monday, November 11. “Four individuals, led by Rodrigue Petitot, forced the security cordon which protected the entrance gate of the prefectural residence, home of the prefect, while he was receiving the island's elected officials on the occasion of the visit in Martinique of the minister responsible for overseas territories”, François-Noël Buffet, explains this source.
“They wanted to enter the residence building, demanding to be immediately received by the minister,” says the prefecture.
“The prefect intervened (…) and asked the intruders to immediately leave the premises. Faced with the virulence of the attitude of these individuals, the police intervened to force them back towards the gate,” we can say. also read in a press release which deplores “unacceptable, unimaginable and intolerable” behavior.
Following this stormy event, a complaint was filed against Rodrigue Petitot, explain our colleagues from La1ère.
Gathering in front of the police station
The local media indicates that after the arrest of the leader of the RPPRAC, roadblocks were erected on an avenue in the Sainte-Thérèse district. RCI Martinique also published images on social networks in the evening of a calm crowd of “around a hundred people” in front of the police station.
Since September, the island has been affected by a movement against the high cost of living which has degenerated with urban riots and violence, mainly at night, during which, according to figures from the prefecture, more than 230 vehicles were deliberately burned and dozens of commercial premises were set on fire, vandalized or looted.
Arriving Monday evening in Martinique for a four-day visit, François-Noël Buffet said he was “willing to meet everyone” on the island, including the leaders of the RPPRAC. Questioned this Tuesday about the tense face-to-face at the prefect's residence involving Rodrigue Petitot, the minister denounced an “almost prohibitive” attitude of the activists, according to comments reported by AFP.
“The meeting was not requested, it was not formalized,” argued the minister.
This Tuesday, a stroll by the minister in the streets of Fort-de-France planned for Tuesday was canceled in the morning, because the meeting in the prefecture “well exceeded deadlines”, justified François-Noël Buffet who however assured that his other field visits would be maintained
