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2021–2022 social unrest in the French West Indies

(Redirected from 2021–2022 Social unrest in the French West Indies)

The 2021–2022 French West Indies unrest is a social conflict that took place from November 17, 2021, until March 31, 2022, in the French West Indies, particularly in Guadeloupe and Martinique. Unrest has also been reported in other Overseas Territories like Saint Pierre and Miquelon.[4]

2021–2022 French West Indies unrest
Date17 November 2021—31 March 2022
(4 months and 2 weeks)
Location
French West Indies
Goals
  • End of mandatory vaccination for health care workers
  • Removal of the French health pass
  • Better living conditions in overseas territories
Methods
  • Riots
  • General strike
  • Demonstrations
Resulted in
  • The vaccination requirement for healthcare workers is extended to December 31, 2021.
Parties

Protesters

Lead figures

No centralized leadership

Casualties
Death(s)1[1]
Injuries11 police officers injured[2][3]
  • 6 police officers injured by gunshot

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.[5]

On March 31, 2022, the state of health emergency ends in the French West Indies.[6]

History

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2021

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On November 19, the prefect of Guadeloupe instituted a curfew from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. for security reasons.[7]

The authorities announced the closure of schools and prefectural services on November 22.[5]

The same day, the revolt spread to Martinique.[8]

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"[9]

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.[10]

In December 2021, candidates for the 2022 French presidential election Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon visited Mayotte and Guadeloupe.[11]

On December 24, protesters briefly invaded the Regional Council of Guadeloupe and remained there overnight.[12]

2022

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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.[13]

On January 4, a series of small roadblocks and fires were set up in the municipality of Sainte-Rose.[14]

The same day, trade unionists from the UTS-UGTG blocked the administrative building of the University Hospital of Pointe-à-Pitre and sequestered the staff for several hours.[15]

On January 9, the deputy of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Stéphane Claireaux, was attacked by anti health pass protesters. President Emmanuel Macron reacted by denouncing an "intolerable" and "unacceptable" attack.[16]

On January 10, roadblocks were set up by demonstrators and stones were thrown at the police in Basse-Terre.[17]

On January 11, anti health pass protesters demonstrated outside Pointe-à-Pitre university hospital and clashed with police.[18][19]

On January 20, rioters injured a police officer with live ammunition on the sidelines of unauthorized demonstrations. The administrative building of the Basse-Terre hospital was invaded by about forty people.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Fort-de-France : Un motard se tue après une chute non loin d'un barrage". 26 November 2021. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Emeutes en Martinique : Un cap franchi dans la violence". 26 November 2021. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Violences en Guadeloupe: un gendarme blessé par balle". LEFIGARO (in French). 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Covid pass protesters attack French MP Stéphane Claireaux with seaweed". BBC News. 10 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "Covid-19. L'état d'urgence sanitaire prend fin dans tous les territoires d'Outre-mer". ouest-france.fr. 31 March 2022.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "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). 23 November 2021. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "En Martinique, l'évacuation d'un rond-point se prolonge en "petite guérilla urbaine"". 3 December 2021.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "Guadeloupe: Protesters angry over COVID rules occupy legislature". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Opération escargot du collectif en lutte, dans l'agglomération pointoise". Guadeloupe la 1ère (in French). 3 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Conflit social : barrages routiers entre Morne Rouge et La Boucan Sainte-Rose, ce mardi matin". Guadeloupe la 1ère (in French). 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  15. ^ "L'UTS-UGTG bloque le siège du CHU de la Guadeloupe et le Collectif en lutte confirme sa détermination". Guadeloupe la 1ère (in French). 4 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Que sait-on de l'agression du député de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon lors d'une manifestation anti pass sanitaire ?". Outre-mer la 1ère (in French). 10 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Matinée enflammée dans le quartier de Rivière des Pères à Basse-Terre". Guadeloupe la 1ère (in French). 10 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Anti-Covid vaccine blockade in front of Guadeloupe hospital removed by police". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  19. ^ Anonym. "Guadeloupe returns to urban riots". newsrnd.com. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  20. ^ "Violences en Guadeloupe: un gendarme blessé par balle". LEFIGARO (in French). 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
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