In Fort-de-France, Martinique, a protest leader, Rodrigue Petitot, was put on trial on Tuesday for allegedly trespassing on state property. His supporters claim this is a coercive effort to stifle dissent in France's overseas territories.
Petitot, known as "Le R", spearheaded last year's social movement in Martinique, where food prices are significantly higher and poverty rates are double those of mainland France.
A co-accused activist, Gwladys Roger, stated to Reuters that the movement was gaining momentum, prompting authorities to intervene. She highlighted a long-standing use of courts for political repression in the region since the 1960s.
Petitot and three others are accused of unauthorized entry into the Martinique governor's residence during a meeting with France's Overseas Territories Minister on Nov. 11. The group, affiliated with the "Gathering for the Protection of Afro-Caribbean People and Resources" (RPPRAC), claimed they were allowed in by a police officer to meet the minister, as per court documents.
Supporters wearing red shirts congregated outside the court during Petitot's two-day hearing, while there was no response from the Prefecture of Martinique and the overseas territories ministry to requests for comments.
Jiovanny William, a Martinique legislator present at the Nov. 11 meeting, shared the activists' objectives but criticized their approach, expressing regret that they did not collaborate with parliamentarians. He mentioned, "They wanted to force things but I regret that they didn’t work with parliamentarians."
Eddy Arneton, one of Petitot's lawyers, warned of a potential prison term of up to 20 years for his client based on his previous legal history. He defended Petitot's actions as an exercise of freedom of expression to address issues in Martinique, denouncing the trial as an attempt to suppress a social movement.
Petitot had received a 10-month prison sentence in December for violence and intimidation related to a TikTok video where he made controversial statements about mayors. He clarified that his words were not meant to incite physical harm.
The unrest in Martinique is among the recent disturbances in French territories, notably sparked by attempts to diminish the voting influence of indigenous Kanak people. Martinique faces economic challenges marked by higher poverty rates and food prices compared to mainland France.
Concerns of neocolonial repression in France's overseas territories have been raised by experts, referencing incidents like moving arrested Kanak leaders thousands of miles away to a mainland prison. The social tension in Martinique escalated to violent episodes, leading to a curfew from Oct. 10 to Nov. 4 last year.