The 2021–2022 French West Indies unrest is a social conflict that took place from 17 November 2021, until 31 March 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.
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.
On 31 March 2022, the state of health emergency ends in the French West Indies.
History
2021 On 19 November, the prefect of Guadeloupe instituted a curfew from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. for security reasons.
The authorities announced the closure of schools and prefectural services on 22 November.
The same day, the revolt spread to Martinique.
On 26 November, the Minister for Overseas France, Sébastien Lecornu, announced the postponement of the vaccination requirement until 31 December and said he was ready to "talk about the autonomy of Guadeloupe"
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 Mahault roundabout looked like a "small urban war" on the night from 1 to 2 December.
In December 2021, candidates for the 2022 French presidential election Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon visited Mayotte and Guadeloupe.
On 24 December, protesters briefly invaded the Regional Council of Guadeloupe and remained there overnight.
2022 On 3 January, a group of organizations opposed to the health pass and mandatory vaccination organized a "snail operation" by car, which led to traffic jams.
On 4 January, a series of small roadblocks were set up and fires started in the municipality of Sainte-Rose.
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.
On 9 January, the deputy of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Stéphane Claireaux, was attacked by protesters. President Emmanuel Macron reacted by denouncing the attack as "intolerable" and "unacceptable".
On 10 January, roadblocks were set up by demonstrators and stones were thrown at the police in Basse-Terre.
On 11 January, protesters demonstrated outside Pointe-à-Pitre university hospital and clashed with police.
On 20 January, 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.
See also
2024 social unrest in Martinique
References