Tensions remained high in Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia, on Friday after days of riots as the French government’s representative said areas of the Pacific territory have “escaped” state control. Louis Le Franc, high commissioner of the Republic in New Caledonia, announced new security deployments. “Reinforcements will be arriving … to control the areas that have escaped us in recent days, where control is no longer assured,” Le Franc told reporters at a briefing. “These are areas where there are several hundred rioters, who are waiting to make contact with the police,” Le Franc said. As part of the state of emergency about 200 of an estimated 5,000 “rioters” have been detained, French authorities said.

Source: The Guardian May 17, 2024 19:52 UTC