John McCarthy
FORT-DE-FRANCE – Protesters defied curfews and clashed with police on the French Caribbean island of Martinique overnight into Friday morning, officials there said, more than a month since demonstrations erupted over rising living costs.
Clashes broke out as police tried to clear protesters’ roadblocks, the Martinique administration said. Crowds also tried to hijack a truck carrying fuel, it added.
French overseas territories such as Martinique, Guadeloupe and New Caledonia have been rocked with protests, often by groups complaining that living standards are well below those of mainland France.
The Martinique administration said one person was arrested overnight and many businesses had warned that the protests were having a “catastrophic” impact on the local economy.
By REUTERS
Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Andrew Heavens
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