what is known about the situation on the island, where a curfew has been partially imposed

The mobilization against the high cost of living was marked by several nights of violence in Martinique. A curfew was declared in certain districts of Fort-de-France and Lamentin, and the prefect announced the arrival of reinforcements.

Tensions are high in Martinique. The protests against the high cost of living on the island, which began in early September in this overseas territory, are now marked by nights of violence in certain districts of Fort-de-France.

The prefect of Martinique announced on Wednesday, September 18, the implementation of a curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. (local time) until September 23 in several areas. Reinforcements are also expected to arrive in the coming days, according to the prefect. Franceinfo takes stock of the situation.

Nearly three weeks of mobilization against the high cost of living

The protests in Martinique began on September 1, the day several hundred demonstrators blocked the port of Fort-de-France to protest against the high cost of living and demand an alignment of food prices with those in mainland France. According to an INSEE study published in 2022, the gap price increase between Martinique and mainland France reached +14%. TheFood products are “40% more expensive than in mainland France”.

The protesters were responding to the call of the Rally for the Protection of Afro-Caribbean Peoples and Resources (RPPRAC). This collective, which had called on major retailers on July 1 to align their prices with those in France, had set an ultimatum of September 1. This demonstration was marked by the arrest of Rodrigue Petitot, president of the RPPRAC, which led to a strike by dockers’ and port workers’ unions.

Faced with this revolt, the State, elected officials and economic players on the island committed themselves during an emergency meeting on “a sustainable price reduction of 20% on average for 2,500 consumer products”, according to a press release from the prefecture of Martinique on September 5.

Several nights of violence

In addition to the protests against the high cost of living and the blockades of supermarkets, several nights of violence broke out on the island. As early as September 3, the Martinique prefecture reported clashes to unblock access to the port of Fort-de-France as well as violence in the Sainte-Thérèse district, near the port. Cars and garbage cans had been burned, whileix police officers, targeted by gunfire, were slightly injured. Three people were then arrested.

Since then, neighborhoods in Fort-de-France and Lamentin, a city on the outskirts, have been regularly subject to blockades and burning barricades, according to the Martinique prefecture. Tensions rose a notch on September 14, when the Fort-de-France police station was targeted by gunfire, according to the prefecture.The authorities also dismantled a roadblock on the main axis between the South and the North. Violence “strongly” condemned by the prefect, Jean-Christophe Bouvier.

On the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, a McDonald’s was set on fire in the Dillon district, east of Fort-de-France, where a supermarket was invaded by around fifty people, according to the authorities. Several barricades were also set alight. Interviewed Thursday on France Inter, the mayor of Fort-de-France, Didier Laguerre, reported “17 businesses attacked, vandalized” during this night. He also mentioned “roadblocks on certain roads in Fort-de-France with burning vehicles.” Since the start of the protests, 15 people have been arrested and 11 police officers have been injured, writes Martinique la 1ère. The prefect also reported “three rioters” injured, including one by gunshot (an IGPN investigation is underway).

A curfew established locally

A curfew was declared from Wednesday evening in certain districts of Fort-de-France and Lamentin. comes into force from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. (local time) until September 23 in the port area, the roads around the Dillon hypermarket up to Jambette in Fort-de-France. Bans on the retail purchase and transport of fuel and “fireworks and pyrotechnic articles” were also decided.

“I have asked the internal security forces to saturate the roads and roundabouts with their presence and to carry out as many arrests as possible.”explained the prefect of Martinique during a press conference. Jean-Christophe Bouvier also stated that “d“Significant reinforcements have arrived and will continue to arrive in the coming days.”.