The night from Sunday to Monday in Martinique was marred by new urban violence, as reported by the prefecture. A total of a dozen roadblocks were erected, a gas station was looted, and one police officer was injured during the unrest, which comes ahead of a planned day of blockades against the high cost of living. The prefecture noted that since 3 AM, around a hundred hooded individuals, claiming to represent a citizens' movement, attempted to blockade the island. By 6 AM, their numbers had swelled to approximately 200 in various locations, prompting police intervention to disperse the blockades.
The Rally for the Protection of Afro-Caribbean Peoples and Resources (RPPRAC), a citizens' collective, is at the forefront of the mobilization against rising living costs. This resurgence of violence follows the group's refusal to sign an agreement that proposed a 20% average reduction in prices for about 6,000 food products. The RPPRAC deemed this offer insufficient, especially considering that food prices in Martinique are 40% higher than in mainland France. The collective's dissatisfaction has fueled ongoing protests, with around 2,000 participants mobilizing on Saturday.
In response to the unrest, the prefect had previously implemented a partial curfew from September 18 to 26, and subsequently, new bans on night-time travel were enacted on October 10, which remain effective until Monday morning.
