New Caledonia police arrest pro-independence leader over deadly protests

Christian Tein is accused of instigating riots against electoral reform last month in which nine people were killed.

Police in New Caledonia have arrested 11 people, including pro-independence leader Christian Tein, after deadly riots last month in the French Pacific territory.

New Caledonia’s chief prosecutor named Tein, leader of the CCAT (Field Action Coordination Cell) pro-independence movement, in a statement on Wednesday. The activist and 10 other unidentified detainees have been arrested for “organised crime” offences, for which they may be held for up to 96 hours.

The detentions are part of an ongoing police investigation launched on May 17, days after unrest erupted into a wave of armed clashes, looting, fires and other violence that turned parts of the capital, Noumea, and its suburbs into no-go zones.

The detainees are suspected of playing an instigating role in the violence, which killed nine people, including two police officers. It also injured hundreds of people, inflicted 1.5 billion euros ($1.6bn) of damage and led France to send 3,000 soldiers and police to the archipelago.

Violence broke out in the territory, located about 1,300km (800 miles) northeast of Australia, over French plans to expand the electoral roll by allowing French residents of the islands for 10 years or more to vote.

Indigenous Kanak people have long sought to break free from France. Activists said the planned reform would leave the Kanak people in a permanent minority, putting independence definitively out of reach.

French President Emmanuel Macron suspended the reform last week after dissolving parliament for snap elections on June 30 and July 7.

Pro-independence groups have called for it to be completely withdrawn before talks on the island’s political future can restart.

‘Abusive’ arrests

Tein was detained as he prepared to hold a news conference at CCAT’s offices, which sit in a building housing the headquarters of the biggest pro-independence political party, the Caledonian Union (UC), the party said in a statement

Reine Hue, a UC elected official, said the police “entered the offices and took photos, especially of documents”.

Prosecutor Yves Dupas said CCAT’s offices had been searched “without incident”.

The CCAT was created in November to oppose the electoral reform plan. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin called it a “Mafia-style organisation”.

Tein was among pro-independence political figures who met Macron during his visit to New Caledonia last month.

The UC denounced Wednesday’s “abusive” arrests, charging in a statement that “local anti-independence leaders and criminal militiamen are able to swagger about in total freedom”.

But the party also urged followers “not to respond to the provocation”, calling for calm until more was known about the arrests.