Emmanuel Macron observed “clear progress in restoring order” in New Caledonia, during a Defense Council organized on Monday May 20, franceinfo learned from the Elysée. The President of the Republic “asked the government to continue to demonstrate concentration, vigilance and commitment”. During this meeting it was decided to mobilize “for a time“military personnel for “pprotect public buildings” and thus relieve the internal security forces. Follow our live stream.
“There is still a way to go before returning to normal,” according to Gabriel Attal. “Internal security forces continue to arrive in large numbers thanks to the airlift that we have put in place. We are making progress. No less than 76 roadblocks have been destroyed on the road linking Nouméa to its airport”wrote the Prime Minister in a message posted on. He also reaffirmed his government’s determination to “restore order”.
Twenty-nine people arrested Monday. “The High Commissioner [Louis Le Franc] congratulates the mobilized forces for their work which made it possible to begin securing Magenta and Ducos and to carry out dissuasive operations at Vallée du Tir and Rivière Salée”we can read on. In addition to this assessment, the high commission also announced that “reinforcements [arrivaient] in greater Nouméa.
Nouméa international airport closed until Thursday. It will remain closed to commercial flights until 9 a.m. Thursday (midnight in Paris, during the night from Wednesday to Thursday), announced the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of New Caledonia, manager of the platform. Commercial activity has been at a standstill since Tuesday, despite requests in particular from Australia and New Zealand, who are demanding the ability to evacuate their nationals.
Darmanin posthumously decorated the two killed gendarmes. A military plane carrying the remains of the two gendarmes who died in New Caledonia landed on Monday at the Istres air base, in Bouches-du-Rhône. During a tribute ceremony, the Homeland Security Gold Medal was awarded to Nicolas Molinari, 22, and Xavier Salou, 46 years old, by the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, and the Minister Delegate for Overseas Territories, Marie Guévenoux.