SYDNEY (Reuters) -A thousand police arrived in New Caledonia from France and streets were relatively calm, the French High Commission said on Monday, but roads were blocked and the airport remained shut, stranding tourists on the Pacific island after a week of riots.
The activist group organising the protests in the French-ruled territory, Field Action Co-ordination Cell (CCAT), said in a statement on Monday blockades would continue, urging protestors to use a peaceful approach.
Road blocks were making it difficult to supply food to stores in several areas and provide secure travel for medical staff, New Caledonia government officials said.
“It’s important to point out that the problem is not so much a lack of staff, medical and food supplies but more importantly an access problem,” a government statement said.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said “the situation there is deeply concerning”, after night when there was fire and looting.
France’s top official in the territory, Louis Le Franc, said on Sunday evening a police operation to regain control of the road from the capital Noumea to the international airport would take several days. Gendarmes had dismantled 76 road blocks.
Albanese told ABC radio that Australia had been seeking approval from French authorities for two days to send an evacuation flight to New Caledonia to pick up tourists stranded in hotels.
As the standoff between protestors and French police continues, residents of New Caledonia brace for further disruptions and uncertainties.
The influx of security forces underscores the gravity of the situation, with authorities striving to maintain order amid mounting unrest
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