SYDNEY (Reuters) – Armed forces were protecting New Caledonia’s two airports and port after a third night of violent riots that have killed four people, the Pacific Island’s top French official said on Thursday morning, adding at least four alleged instigators were under house arrest.
Gendarmes faced approximately 5,000 rioters across three municipalities on the French-ruled island. In Noumea, the capital, between 3,000 and 4,000 rioters were present.
Two hundred people have been arrested, and 64 gendarmes and police injured, while road barricades put up by the protesters were causing a “dire situation” for medicine and food for the population, he added.
France declared a state of emergency in New Caledonia at 5 a.m. local time. This grants authorities powers to ban gatherings and restrict movement.
Police sent 500 additional officers to the island after rioters torched vehicles, businesses, and looted stores, supplementing the usual 1,800.
Noumea resident Yoan Fleurot told Reuters in a Zoom interview that he has seen looting and destruction of properties. Some storeowners willingly let their shelves be raided, pleading that their shops not be destroyed, he said.
Fleurot stated he is armed with a 16-caliber gun and has video surveillance around his house. He ventures out only during daylight to check on family or properties.
Local authorities and law enforcement face significant challenges due to the ongoing New Caledonia Riots. Resistance has greeted efforts to quell the unrest. Moreover, dialogue and reconciliation are needed to address underlying grievances.
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