Roadblocks again disrupted traffic on Tuesday on the French part of the island of Saint-Martin, where businesses were attacked, after several weeks of relative calm amid social discontent this fall. In the early morning, roadblocks and barricades reappeared in various places on the island. The gendarmes intervened at 3:00 am local time to "
fight against a group of about thirty individuals who were setting up barricades in Marigot (center)
", indicated the
police
who were the subject of fireworks. An axis leading to the border with the Dutch part of the island was strewn with stones, they said. The prefect, Serge Gouteyron, called for calm and condemned the acts of "
some individuals (who) try in a very localized way to sow disorder without other demands than those of the law of the street
”.
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A few hours later, roadblocks were installed on both sides of Nettle Bay (west), residents and motorists finding themselves stranded.
The gendarmerie intervened.
"
Young people attacked businesses in the area,
" explains the commander of the Saint-Martin gendarmerie Maxime Wintzer, whose patrol was the target of mortar fire.
After sending reinforcements, "
they retreated,
" he added.
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"
Nothing justifies this shift in violence and intimidation, and even less the taking of a neighborhood hostage by a few
", reacted the president of the community Daniel Gibbs who also calls on the government: "
I have formulated a month ago proposals, in particular on the vaccination obligation and on the free choice of vaccines. Unfortunately no answer to date
".
Since September, the situation has become tense on the island with the blocking of two major axes and the racketeering of residents and tourists.
Ravaged by Hurricane Irma in September 2017, this small territory (34,000 inhabitants), which lives at 90% of tourism, had already suffered blockages and demonstrations at the end of 2019 when the population rose up against the implementation of the Prevention Plan natural hazards (PPRN).
The health crisis has been a further blow to the local economy, and the new movements come at the start of the high tourist season.
