France has given approval for a special anti-riot force to Martinique, a method that has been banned for the past 65 years.
Protestors have gathered throughout Martinique defying government orders banning demonstrations in major cities. Protests broke out on the island last week over the high cost of living
The government issued a curfew last week after six police officers got injured in a gunfight with protestors. The restrictions came after violent, with gunfire injuring at least six police officers and one civilian.
In a press release officials said the bans were meant “to put an end to the violence and damage committed at gatherings, as well as to the numerous obstacles to daily life and freedom of movement that penalize the entire population, particularly at weekends.”
But the approach was met with significant push back by citizens starting with a massive protest on Saturday night. Videos from local media show crowds of thousands peacefully walking along highways overnight banging on drums and waving flags.
The elite riot police, known as the Companies for Republican Security, were prohibited in the French territory after violent riots in December 1959. The unit was accused of using excessive force against protesters, which led to the deaths of several young demonstrators.
These forces are seldom deployed in French territories in the Caribbean, but were called upon during riots and strikes in Guadeloupe in 2009. In a significant change for the island, Martinique’s leaders requested the forces amid the recent protests, a move that was strongly opposed by some in the territory.
Béatrice Bellay, a representative of the socialist party on the island, criticized the decision, stating: “Martinique is not in a civil war, it is a social war.” She called for an “open and transparent dialogue” between protesters and the government. “This measure only serves to escalate tensions and divert attention from the legitimate demands of the people of Martinique,” she wrote in a statement on Sunday.
