The demonstrators wanted to carry the voice of “a people who are standing their ground”. According to AFP, several thousand people marched in Paris on Sunday in a new protest against the high cost of living in overseas France. Overseas.
Forming a long procession marked by the color red, the symbol of mobilization, the mobilized people responded to the call of West Indian and Kanak associations, many from the overseas diaspora. The march started from the Place Denfert-Rochereau and proceeded to the Ministry of Overseas France.
The procession set off to the strains of West Indian music, cheered on by the roaring engines of some 50 motorcycles stationed near the head of the demonstration.
At the head of the parade marched Rodrigue Petitot, figurehead of the movement against the high cost of living in Martiniqueand head of the Rassemblement pour la protection des peuples et des ressources afro-caribéens (Rpprac), already present at last Sunday’s demonstration.
“This time they’ve demonstrated that the people are standing firm and that things aren’t going to calm down unless we get some real solutions,” said Rodrigue Petitot.
“We’re forced to take to the streets once again”.
André Bazin, president of the Ultramarin Doubout association, lamented that he was “never heard”: “Unfortunately, we’re forced to take to the streets once again”.
Negotiations resulting from the mobilization, which led to an agreement to lower the prices of around 6,000 food products, did not change a thing.
Since September, Martinique has been affected by an anti-cost-of-living movement that has degenerated into urban riots and violencemainly at night.
Negotiations resulting from the mobilization, bringing together local elected representatives, French government departments, economic players and activists, led to an agreement to lower the prices of around 6,000 food products by “20% on average”, but the movement behind the mobilization refused to sign it, deeming the number of products concerned insufficient.