France has sent a group of special anti-riot police that’s been banned for 65 years to the French Caribbean island of Martinique, where protesters have gathered despite the government barring demonstrations in parts of the island.
The force arrived this weekend after the local representative of France’s central government in its overseas territory, said in a statement that protests were forbidden in the municipalities of Fort-de-France, Le Lamentin, Ducos and Le Robert until Monday. The government also issued a curfew.
The restrictions came after violent protests broke out on the island last week over the high cost of living, with gunfire injuring at least six police officers and one civilian. Police launched tear gas and government officials said several stores were also looted.
The elite riot police, known as the Companies for Republican Security, were banned in the French territory following bloody riots in December 1959. The unit had been accused of using disproportionate force against protesters, ending in the deaths of a number of young demonstrators. The force is rarely deployed in French territories in the Caribbean, but was called on during riots and strikes in Guadeloupe in 2009.
The government could listen to people, this is what protests are, people who want to be heard.
But instead of listening to people the president decided to appoint a far right government despite the fact that the left for the majority during the last election.
Yeah but that’s France in general and not Martinique in particular so you can’t tie it into an anticolonial narrative so the .ml faction don’t care.