The first evacuations of French tourists began at La Tontouta airport (New Caledonia), Saturday May 25, on the thirteenth day of the crisis. “As part of crisis management, measures to repatriate foreigners and French tourists are continuing. More than 530 people have been reaccompanied to date”, specifies the High Commission of the Republic in New Caledonia in a press release. He recalls that Nouméa-La Tontouta international airport will remain closed to commercial flights until Tuesday, “date on which reopening will be reassessed”. Follow our live stream.
“More than 370” arrests since the start of the crisis. After nearly two weeks of violence, the High Commission of the Republic in New Caledonia reports “more than 370” arrests on the archipelago. In his press release, he specifies that “115 police officers and gendarmes were injured” and that the “the death toll stands at seven, including two police officers”.
A man shot dead, a police officer in custody. The death toll from the violence rose to seven on Friday. This latest victim is a 48-year-old man whose identity has not been communicated. A policeman, “physically attacked by a group of around fifteen individuals”pulled a “shot to escape” and killed a man in Dumbéa near Nouméa, according to the account of the city’s public prosecutor, Yves Dupas. This police officer, who presents “traces of blows on the face” just like a colleague who accompanied him, was placed in police custody, added the magistrate.
The FNLKS reiterates its demand for withdrawal of electoral reform. The visit of the President of the Republic did not modify the demand of the independence movement of New Caledonia. The FLNKS repeats its desire to see the withdrawal of the electoral reform which caused the violence in this French archipelago. “The people have spoken. The FLNKS is opposed to the unfreezing of the electoral body as defined in the draft constitutional law. This text must therefore be withdrawn by the French government”, the movement wrote in a press release.