2021–2022 social unrest in the French West Indies
| 2021 French West Indies unrest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 17 November 2021-present (2 years, 9 months, 1 week and 6 days) | ||
| Location | French West Indies | ||
| Goals |
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| Methods |
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| Status | Ongoing | ||
| Parties | |||
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| Lead figures | |||
Decentralised | |||
| Casualties | |||
| Death(s) | 1[1] | ||
| Injuries | 10 police officers injured[2]
| ||
The 2021 French West Indies unrest is a social conflict that has been taking place since November 17, 2021 in the French West Indies, particularly in Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Following the French government's decision to introduce compulsory vaccination for health care workers and the health pass in several public places, acts of vandalism, a general strike, and demonstrations began, first in Guadeloupe and then in Martinique.[3]
History
2021
On November 19, the prefect of Guadeloupe instituted a curfew from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. for security reasons.[4]
The authorities announced the closure of schools and prefectural services on November 22.[3]
The same day, the revolt spread to Martinique.[5]
On November 26, the Minister for Overseas France, Sébastien Lecornu, announced the postponement of the vaccination requirement until December 31 and said he was ready to "talk about the autonomy of Guadeloupe"[6]
Gunfire, mortar fire, flaming barricades, tear gas: in the streets of the small town of Lamentin to the east of Fort-de-France, en Martinique, the aftermath of the evacuation of the roundabout du Mahault looked like a "small urban guerrilla" on the night from 1 to 2 December.[7]
In December 2021, candidates for the 2022 French presidential election Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon visited Mayotte and Guadeloupe.[8]
On December 24, protesters briefly invaded the Regional Council of Guadeloupe and remained there overnight[9]
2022
On January 3, a group of organizations opposed to the health pass and mandatory vaccination organized a "snail operation" by car, which led to traffic jams.[10]
On January 4, a series of small roadblocks and fires were set up in the municipality of Sainte-Rose.[11]
References
- ^ "Fort-de-France : Un motard se tue après une chute non loin d'un barrage". Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
- ^ "Emeutes en Martinique : Un cap franchi dans la violence". Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Les tensions persistent en Guadeloupe, appel à la grève générale en Martinique". France 24 (in French). 22 November 2021. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
- ^ magazine, Le Point (19 November 2021). "Mobilisation contre le pass sanitaire en Guadeloupe : couvre-feu immédiat". Le Point (in French). Archived from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
- ^ "Nouvelle nuit d'émeutes à Sainte-Thérèse : poubelles et véhicules brûlés – Toute l'actualité de la Martinique sur Internet – FranceAntilles.fr". France-Antilles Martinique (in French). Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
- ^ "Avec le report de l'obligation vaccinale à la Guadeloupe, le gouvernement tente de trouver une sortie au conflit social". Le Monde.fr (in French). 27 November 2021. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
- ^ "En Martinique, l'évacuation d'un rond-point se prolonge en "petite guérilla urbaine"". 3 December 2021.
- ^ "Présidentielle 2022. Mélenchon soutient les soignants en Guadeloupe, Le Pen veut lutter contre l'immigration à Mayotte". www.leprogres.fr (in French). Retrieved 28 December 2021.
- ^ "Guadeloupe: Protesters angry over COVID rules occupy legislature". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "Opération escargot du collectif en lutte, dans l'agglomération pointoise". Guadeloupe la 1ère (in French). Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ "Conflit social : barrages routiers entre Morne Rouge et La Boucan Sainte-Rose, ce mardi matin". Guadeloupe la 1ère (in French). Retrieved 4 January 2022.