2021–2022 social unrest in the French West Indies explained

2021–2022 French West Indies unrest
Leadfigures1:No centralized leadership
Leadfigures2:Emmanuel Macron
Jean Castex
Side1:Protesters
Fatalities:1[1]
Injuries:11 police officers injured[2] [3]
  • 6 police officers injured by gunshot
Place:French West Indies
Side2: Government of France
Result:
  • The vaccination requirement for healthcare workers is extended to December 31, 2021.
Date:17 November 2021—31 March 2022
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

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]

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

2021

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.

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

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]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fort-de-France : Un motard se tue après une chute non loin d'un barrage. 26 November 2021 . 28 November 2021. 27 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211127000724/https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/martinique/fort-de-france-un-motard-se-tue-apres-une-chute-non-loin-d-un-barrage-1165252.html. live.
  2. Web site: Emeutes en Martinique : Un cap franchi dans la violence. 26 November 2021 . 28 November 2021. 28 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211128103022/https://www.lci.fr/societe/video-emeutes-en-martinique-un-cap-franchi-dans-la-violence-2203063.html. live.
  3. Web site: 2022-01-21. Violences en Guadeloupe: un gendarme blessé par balle. 2022-01-21. LEFIGARO. fr.
  4. News: 2022-01-10. Covid pass protesters attack French MP Stéphane Claireaux with seaweed. en-GB. BBC News. 2022-01-11.
  5. Web site: 2021-11-22. Les tensions persistent en Guadeloupe, appel à la grève générale en Martinique. 2021-11-28. France 24. fr. 23 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211123000749/https://www.france24.com/fr/france/20211122-les-tensions-persistent-en-guadeloupe-appel-%C3%A0-la-gr%C3%A8ve-g%C3%A9n%C3%A9rale-en-martinique. live.
  6. Web site: Covid-19. L'état d'urgence sanitaire prend fin dans tous les territoires d'Outre-mer . ouest-france.fr. 31 March 2022 .
  7. Web site: magazine. Le Point. 2021-11-19. Mobilisation contre le pass sanitaire en Guadeloupe : couvre-feu immédiat. 2021-11-28. Le Point. fr. 20 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211120092931/https://www.lepoint.fr/societe/guadeloupe-face-aux-emeutes-instauration-d-un-couvre-feu-19-11-2021-2452885_23.php. live.
  8. Web site: Nouvelle nuit d'émeutes à Sainte-Thérèse : poubelles et véhicules brûlés – Toute l'actualité de la Martinique sur Internet – FranceAntilles.fr. 2021-11-28. France-Antilles Martinique. 23 November 2021 . fr. 23 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211123192831/https://www.martinique.franceantilles.fr/actualite/faitsdivers/nouvelle-nuit-d-emeutes-a-sainte-therese-poubelles-et-vehicules-brules-593368.php. live.
  9. News: 2021-11-27. Avec le report de l'obligation vaccinale à la Guadeloupe, le gouvernement tente de trouver une sortie au conflit social. fr. Le Monde.fr. 2021-11-28. 28 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211128102935/https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2021/11/27/avec-le-report-de-l-obligation-vaccinale-a-la-guadeloupe-le-gouvernement-tente-de-trouver-une-sortie-au-conflit-social_6103846_823448.html. live.
  10. Web site: En Martinique, l'évacuation d'un rond-point se prolonge en "petite guérilla urbaine". 3 December 2021.
  11. Web site: Présidentielle 2022. Mélenchon soutient les soignants en Guadeloupe, Le Pen veut lutter contre l'immigration à Mayotte. 2021-12-28. www.leprogres.fr. FR-fr.
  12. Web site: Guadeloupe: Protesters angry over COVID rules occupy legislature. 2022-01-01. www.aljazeera.com. en.
  13. Web site: Opération escargot du collectif en lutte, dans l'agglomération pointoise. 2022-01-04. Guadeloupe la 1ère. 3 January 2022 . fr-FR.
  14. Web site: Conflit social : barrages routiers entre Morne Rouge et La Boucan Sainte-Rose, ce mardi matin. 2022-01-04. Guadeloupe la 1ère. 4 January 2022 . fr-FR.
  15. Web site: L'UTS-UGTG bloque le siège du CHU de la Guadeloupe et le Collectif en lutte confirme sa détermination. 2022-01-05. Guadeloupe la 1ère. 4 January 2022 . fr-FR.
  16. Web site: Que sait-on de l'agression du député de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon lors d'une manifestation anti pass sanitaire ?. 2022-01-11. Outre-mer la 1ère. 10 January 2022 . fr-FR.
  17. Web site: Matinée enflammée dans le quartier de Rivière des Pères à Basse-Terre. 2022-01-11. Guadeloupe la 1ère. 10 January 2022 . fr-FR.
  18. Web site: Anti-Covid vaccine blockade in front of Guadeloupe hospital removed by police. 2022-01-11. Modern Ghana. en.
  19. Web site: Anonym. Guadeloupe returns to urban riots. 2022-01-11. newsrnd.com. en.
  20. Web site: 2022-01-21. Violences en Guadeloupe: un gendarme blessé par balle. 2022-01-21. LEFIGARO. fr.

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