Protests and unrest continue to rock the French Caribbean island of Martinique, with tensions remaining high despite the imposition of a curfew aimed at restoring order.

On Thursday, demonstrators targeted the territory’s main airport in a new protest against the high cost of living.

In response to the recent surge in violence, the government has imposed a new curfew from 9 PM to 5 AM and banned demonstrations on public roads.

Local media reported incidents of looting.

Schools have been temporarily shut down, and the teaching hospital announced that it has activated emergency plan Blanc. This plan allows for surgery postponements and the temporary deployment of additional staff.

In recent years, Martinique has experienced comparable protests, often driven by demonstrators’ frustration over perceived economic, social, and racial inequalities.

In 2020, 27% of Martinique’s residents were living below the poverty line, which is a rate 12 percentage points higher than that in mainland France.

The most recent protest in a series started in early September, leading national authorities to deploy special anti-riot police forces to the island.

Negotiations are currently in progress involving national and local authorities, the RPPRAC—the group leading the protests—and CMA-CGM, the primary carrier.