Covid: a vaccinodrome and a pharmacy burnt down during clashes in Martinique

A vaccinodrome and a pharmacy were set on fire during clashes between a hundred demonstrators and the police on Saturday evening in Fort-de-France (Martinique), the day after the establishment of a new curfew, we learned Sunday from a police source.

A hypermarket was also looted during these clashes.

A gathering of a hundred people formed around 9 p.m. in the capital of Martinique, two hours after the entry into force of the curfew, decided this week by the prefecture of the Caribbean island.

A helicopter as a backup to disperse the crowd

The crowd then headed for downtown Fort-de-France to the sounds of drums in a carnival atmosphere. The police tried to push back the demonstrators who took one of the main arteries of the city by using tear gas canisters. Faced with the police intervention, pallets, tires and various objects were set on fire and braziers lit, while a vaccinodrome was completely ravaged by flames and a hypermarket was looted at the entrance to the city. A gendarmerie helicopter came to reinforce the police to disperse the crowd.

In the afternoon, some 500 people demonstrated against the health pass in Fort-de-France.

Martinique, in a state of health emergency since July 13, is experiencing a re-containment for a period of at least three weeks, while the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, this week evoked a "dramatic situation".

The island has one of the highest incidence rates in France, 1,040 positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants, against an average of 218 for the entire territory.

Only about 15% of the island's population is vaccinated.

Three patients transferred to Paris

The saturation of hospitals also forced the transfer of three patients with Covid-19 from Fort-de-France to Paris, overnight from Saturday to Sunday. Fifty soldiers from the Army Health Service and the Army Medical Regiment must also be quickly deployed to the CHU of Fort-de-France.