Police in New Caledonia have detained eight individuals, including an independence leader, suspected of involvement in the recent deadly violence that gripped the French Pacific territory. The arrests were made as part of an ongoing police investigation initiated on May 17 following a series of armed clashes, looting, and arson that engulfed parts of the capital, Nouméa, and its suburbs.
New Caledonia's prosecutor, Yves Dupas, confirmed the detention of eight individuals in Nouméa and the Mont-Dore suburbs, with one of them identified as Christian Tein, a prominent figure in a pro-independence group accused by French authorities of playing a key role in the violent unrest triggered by disputed voting reforms.
