Martinique: clashes between caregivers opposed to the health pass and law enforcement

On Friday, October 15, clashes pitted staff members of the Martinique University Hospital, Pierre Zobda Quitman Hospital, against the police.

In question, a control by the public authorities of the health pass of the caregivers, which struck some of the staff and the unions.

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The main medical establishment in Fort-de-France had announced the control of the health pass of patients, visitors and staff from October 11, in a context of slight resumption of Covid-19 contaminations. The first days were for “

”, as a press release promised. Then firmness was imposed, materialized by the presence of gendarmes and police from Thursday, as described by Martinique 1ère. A reinforcement which was not to the liking of the unions, Jean-Pierre Jean-Louis, Force Ouvrière affirming that "

".

The tension therefore rose a notch the next day, leading to a demonstration of a little more than 350 people according to the police officers of the Departmental Intervention Company and a squadron of mobile gendarmes. The latter then had more and more difficulty in containing the nervousness of some. Several videos show scenes of brawl, storming of an entrance by staff, as well as muscular arrests, all under cries of protest. Also according to Martinique 1ère, three people were arrested between 12:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. According to

, the management and administrative staff also had to be evacuated.

The prefect of Martinique Stanislas Cazelles and the director general of the ARS Jérôme Viguier quickly condemned the violence and the damage observed.

"

" they affirmed, defending the strict control of the health pass.

The management of the hospital called for "

".