In Martinique, a curfew and a ban on demonstrations were introduced following violence. The runway at Fort-de-France airport was invaded, and three flights with more than 1,000 passengers were diverted to Guadeloupe. A Belgian present on site testifies to the chaotic situation. Like many people, he is stuck inside Fort-de-France airport.
“The situation in Martinique is very worrying. Widespread riots have broken out, plunging the island into chaos,” testifies Laurent this Friday morning via the orange Alert us button. “The Fort-de-France airport is now closed and I find myself locked inside. Outside, the scene is simply apocalyptic. Cars are burning and rioters have invaded the runway. For now , there is no possibility of leaving the airport, I think it would be unwise to do so. The situation is too dangerous and uncertain.he fears.
Martinique was licking its wounds on Thursday after a night of chaos marked by looting, fires and violence which left 26 police and gendarmes injured, pushing the island’s prefect to decree a curfew and a ban on demonstrations throughout the country until Monday.
This increase in violence results from the movement against the high cost of living
A man was also shot and killed in circumstances that are still unclear: 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 “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.
“This increase in violence is the result of the movement against the high cost of living,” that the French authorities seem to ignore,” explains Laurent.
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.
Thursday afternoon, more than fifty people invaded the runway of Fort-de-France airport in the town of Lamentin (center), said a police source. They intended to denounce the arrival of reinforcements from the police. At the end of the day, three flights with “on board 1,117 passengers” were diverted to Guadeloupe following the closure of the airport, reported the prefecture of Guadeloupe.
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. Since then, urban violence has been recorded again every night. As a result, the prefect of the island, Jean-Christophe Bouvier, signed two decrees on Thursday concerning “the entire territory of Martinique”.
“For now, my priority is to stay safe inside the airport, away from the unrest outside. The situation is serious, and I hope that the authorities will act quickly to restore a climate of peace “, hopes Laurent confined to the airport.
martinique
Related News :