Chaos in Martinique: Violence erupts as France's grip tightens on freedom

A surge of violence erupted overnight on October 10 night on the island of Martinique, leaving twelve gendarmes injured, stores ablaze, and barricades burning.

Among the injured, one gendarme sustained a gunshot wound, Caliber.Az reports, citing the French newspaper L'Orient-Le Jour.

A French government source informed AFP that the number of wounded may rise, as ongoing operations were still underway to regain control over "burning barricades" across the island, particularly in the areas of Case Pilote and Schœlcher, a commune near the regional capital Fort-de-France.

The unrest saw at least three stores set on fire, and several fires broke out at the island's port where newly imported cars were stored. Explosions echoed through Schœlcher well into the early hours of October 10, according to an AFP journalist on the scene. Videos circulating on social media revealed the scale of the violence, showing barricades engulfed in flames on the Fort-de-France ring road, with projectiles being hurled at vehicles attempting to pass.

The root of the violence can be traced back to a movement against the rising cost of living that began in September, initiated by the “Rassemblement for the Defense of Afro-Caribbean Peoples and Resources.” The group is demanding that food prices in Martinique, which are 40 per cent higher than in mainland France, be reduced. The protests, which had simmered down in recent weeks, flared up again on October 7 following confrontations between activists and police in Le Lamentin.

Since then, nightly urban riots have rocked the island. On October 9, four gendarmes were lightly injured in the town of Le Carbet during an operation to clear a blockade. Additionally, a municipal building used by the newly formed territorial brigade was completely burned down.

Martinique, an island located in the central part of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, has a turbulent colonial history. It was colonized by France in 1635, leading to the extermination of the indigenous Carib Indian population. Today, the island spans 1,128 square kilometres and is home to more than 360,000 people. The distance between Paris and Martinique is over 6,870 kilometres, yet the struggles for justice, equality, and economic fairness continue to fuel deep-rooted unrest in the French overseas territory.

By Tamilla Hasanova