France has deployed soldiers to Reunion in a bid to stem violence on the Indian Ocean island after protests over fuel prices descended into riots and looting, reports The Independent.
Demonstrations in the remote French territory entered a sixth day on Thursday as nationwide opposition to the government’s decision to raise petrol duties continues to rage on.
Schools on the island remained closed for a third consecutive day, with roadblocks constructed by protesters preventing teachers, children and food supplies from reaching them, a statement from the regional administration said.
Discontent over fuel prices has simmered across France for almost a week, with widespread hostility towards tax hikes the government hoped would aid efforts to reduce fossil fuel usage.
However, on Reunion, an island popular with tourists, the protests have unleashed broader anger over poverty, which is much more commonplace than on the mainland.
French president Emmanuel Macron has defended government efforts to boost the economy on Reunion as ordered troops into the area. He called the violence “unacceptable”.