unsaveSave
expand-left
full screen A person casts their vote in a referendum in New Caledonia in 2021. Photo: Clotilde Richalet/AP/TT
Shots have been fired during riots in New Caledonia, according to France’s representative in the Pacific territory, Louis Le Franc.
No deaths have been reported.
On Tuesday local time, authorities in the French-ruled territory issued a curfew and a ban on public gatherings after protests turned into riots overnight. During the riot, vehicles and facilities were burned, and shops were looted.
Police reportedly responded to the shooting by firing non-lethal shots. New Caledonia’s government appeals for “sense and calm” after nightfall.
The unrest broke out on Monday night during protests against proposed changes to voting procedures, proposals that have angered separatists in the area.