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.
The violence, which resulted in nine fatalities, including two gendarmes, prompted France to declare a state of emergency in the archipelago and deploy additional police forces to restore order. The detained individuals are being investigated for various offenses, such as complicity in homicide, armed robbery, arson, and membership in a group involved in planning violent acts.
Following the turmoil, French President Emmanuel Macron suspended the voting reforms that had sparked the unrest, as the country gears up for snap parliamentary elections. With the situation now stabilizing, New Caledonia has eased its overnight curfew by two hours and reopened its international airport after a month-long closure to commercial flights.
