French island rocked by cost-of-living protests

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November 21, 2018 4:17 PM

The unrest is the worst violence on La Reunion in nearly 30 years

Thirty police officers have been injured in five days of protests over rising living costs on the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, the government in Paris said Wednesday.

The "yellow vest" movement, which brought hundreds of thousands of people onto French streets last weekend to protest environmental taxes on fuel, has plunged La Reunion into its worst bout of violence in nearly 30 years.

Roads across the volcanic island of 850,000 people off southeast Africa remained blocked Wednesday by demonstrators, causing petrol stations to run low on fuel, and schools were closed for fear of violence.

The protest movement, triggered by a 23-percent rise in the price of diesel in the past year, has come to encompass broader grievances about the rising cost of essentials and a rollback in public services in small-town and rural France.

At least 30 police officers have been injured in clashes with the protestors on La Reunion and reinforcements have been sent from Paris AFP

For several nights running, youths armed with petrol bombs and stones have clashed with police, leaving 30 officers injured so far, government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said.

One officer lost his hand after a grenade accidentally went off in his car as it was being stoned by demonstrators, the authorities said.

There was no figure available for the number of injured among the demonstrators.

Peugeot factory at standstill

Across France, two people have died and over 500 have been injured since protesters began erecting barricades on roads across the country on Saturday to try to force the government to cancel planned tax hikes on fuel.

Some protests have continued in mainland France AFP

On the mainland, the protests had begun to fizzle Wednesday but in La Reunion the situation remained tense, despite the government agreeing to freeze anti-pollution taxes on fuel on the island for three years.

Griveaux blamed the violence on "gangs of youths" using the cover of the protests to "loot, sack and destroy" property and announced that police reinforcements were being sent from Paris.

In mainland France, businesses are also feeling the pinch after five days of unrest.

jpeg Mpeg4-1280x720A PSA Peugeot-Citroen factory in the eastern French town of Sochaux suspended production Wednesday because supply trucks carrying parts from Spain had been unable to get past one of the few remaining roadblocks.

Macron, who has vowed to stay his course despite plummeting poll ratings, on Wednesday threatened "severe" action against protesters who breach the peace, endanger motorists' lives or intimidate opponents.

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