Long considered a day of mourning by New Caledonia's indigenous population, 24 September is infamous on the Pacific Ocean islands as the date France claimed them in 1853. With unrest flaring once again over the question of self-determination, this year's anniversary is expected to be especially tense.
Thousands of police officers will be deployed across New Caledonia this Tuesday, which marks 171 years since French forces annexed the archipelago.
