France has sent a group of special anti-riot police that’s been banned for 65 years to the French Caribbean island of Martinique, where protesters have gathered despite the government barring demonstrations in parts of the island.
The force arrived this weekend after the local representative of France’s central government in its overseas territory, said in a statement that protests were forbidden in the municipalities of Fort-de-France, Le Lamentin, Ducos and Le Robert until Monday. The government also issued a curfew.
The restrictions came after violent protests broke out on the island last week over the high cost of living, with gunfire injuring at least six police officers and one civilian. Police launched tear gas and government officials said several stores were also looted.
The elite riot police, known as the Companies for Republican Security, were banned in the French territory following bloody riots in December 1959. The unit had been accused of using disproportionate force against protesters, ending in the deaths of a number of young demonstrators. The force is rarely deployed in French territories in the Caribbean, but was called on during riots and strikes in Guadeloupe in 2009.
Seems to be a common occurance for France and Germany to ban protests on certain topics. Is there selection criteria for these? I can already tell in the US they let Republicans protest for just about any reason while everyone else can (not always) be denied a permit for their demonstrations.
In the US they usually just hit you with trumped up charges for daring to do something. When the keystone xl pipeline was being built some protesters crawled inside so they couldn’t continue working… those protesters were charged with attempted murder iirc (because it was dangerous for them to crawl inside the pipeline or some bs).
Topics? No. Stuff turning violent? Yes. But don’t let that tarnish your narrative. And the stuff in Martinique was violent, even judged by French standards. Burning trash and tear gas canisters getting lobbed back are par for the course, but officers getting shot? Not so much. Not exactly sporting behaviour.