A curfew restricting the movement of unaccompanied minors has been imposed in two Guadeloupe communes following a night of urban violence that left shops destroyed, barricades burning and three police officers injured, as unrest linked to the anti-cost-of-living movement escalates across France’s overseas territories.
Prefect Orders Curfew for Under-18s
Thierry Devimeux, the prefect of Guadeloupe, issued an order barring anyone under 18 from circulating without an adult holding parental authority in Pointe-à-Pitre and Les Abymes. The measure took effect at 8:00 pm on Sunday and runs until 6:00 am on Monday.
The prefect said the restriction was intended “above all to protect minors who could find themselves at the scenes of violence.” He noted that law enforcement had observed “numerous minors within the groups of rioters.”
Burning Barricades and Plundered Businesses
During the night from Saturday to Sunday, multiple barricades were set alight and “several shops and businesses were vandalised or even destroyed,” according to the prefecture. Local outlet Guadeloupe La 1ère reported that “shopkeepers have lost everything, residents have seen their cars damaged, infrastructure has been vandalised and the streets are strewn with the remains of burning barricades.”
Security forces came under a hail of projectiles and “gunfire” during the clashes, in which three police officers were wounded, the prefecture said.
Similar urban violence also disrupted demonstrations on La Réunion, where bins, street furniture and vehicles were set on fire. The Alliance Police union condemned the violent confrontations and called on the prefect to deploy substantial police reinforcements.
Prefect Condemns Violence as Talks Break Down
Devimeux condemned “with the greatest firmness these unacceptable acts of violence,” adding that they constituted offences that “cannot be confused with the peaceful expression of demands.”
The flare-up comes amid heightened tension in the Caribbean archipelago. Since Wednesday, a disparate collective known as “Nou las Palé” — Creole for “We are tired of talking” — has been blocking major roads to protest the high cost of living.
Violence had already marred the mobilisation on Friday, when six police officers were injured and gendarmes were hit with “acid throws.” The prefect has for now broken off discussions with the collective, whose legitimacy he says he does not recognise.
