France deployed troops to New Caledonia’s ports and international airport, banned TikTok, and imposed a state of emergency on Thursday after three nights of clashes resulting in four deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Pro-independence protests, largely led by indigenous groups, erupted against a French plan to introduce new voting rules in the Pacific archipelago, escalating into the deadliest violence since the 1980s, with a police officer among those killed by gunfire.
The usually bustling boulevards, lined with palm trees and tourists, were now strewn with debris and patrolled by armored vehicles, as locals, fearing for their safety, erected roadblocks using household items.
A suspected arson attack targeted a building housing a consultative body for the indigenous Kanak people, but the extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
As part of the French response, security forces placed five suspected leaders under house arrest, with plans for house searches in the coming hours, according to a statement from the high commission representing the French state in New Caledonia. Over 200 “rioters” have been arrested since the clashes began, with estimated participants reaching up to 5,000 in greater Noumea.
President Emmanuel Macron offered to hold talks with New Caledonia’s lawmakers
The high commission reported that “people have been ambushing law enforcement officers” with “sustained fire from hunting rifles.” Several hundred people, including 64 police officers, have been injured in the violence, among the territory’s population of around 270,000.
While French authorities reported a third night of “clashes,” correspondents on the ground noted that Noumea appeared calmer than in previous nights. Residents were seen scavenging through burnt-out shops with looted shelves, searching for essentials. One woman in a suburb of the capital explained, “We just grabbed what there was in the shops to eat. Soon, there will be no more shops.” She emphasized the need for milk for the children, viewing it as a necessity rather than looting.
France is establishing an “air bridge” to swiftly deploy troops and police reinforcements and to bring in essential supplies. President Emmanuel Macron offered to hold talks with New Caledonian lawmakers and called for a resumption of political dialogue. Sonia Backes, leader of New Caledonia’s southern province, requested a 150-million-euro “one-off reconstruction fund” to repair the damage caused by the unrest.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin accused Russia-friendly Azerbaijan of “interference” in the unrest, without elaborating. The state of emergency allows authorities to enforce travel bans, house arrests, and searches, along with a night curfew and bans on gatherings, weapons, and alcohol sales. The unrest was sparked by a vote in the French parliament, thousands of kilometres away, proposing that outsiders who moved to New Caledonia at least 10 years ago should be allowed to vote in the territory’s elections. Pro-independence groups argue that this would dilute the vote of the Kanaks, who make up about 41 percent of the population. Macron has stated that French lawmakers will vote on adopting the constitutional change by the end of June unless both sides in New Caledonia agree on a new text that considers everyone’s progress and aspirations.
