Protests over rising air fares that have caused four deaths and 23 injuries at the airport of Mare island, part of the South Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia. The French government has appealed to religious mediators to defuse the violence, which was sparked by political instability caused by the adoption of the indigenous Kanak flag alongside the French tricolour.
On Saturday, a group of 300 local residents who support the local Kanak leader Nidoish Naisseline, also the chairman of Air Caledonie, had tried to disband protesters who were asking for air fares to be cut. Protesters had been blocking the airport of Mare island and airports of other South Caledonian islands since July 22. Police finally disbanded the Mare protest on Sunday.
Air Caledonie said it was on the verge of going bust after accumulating losses of more than €1.2 million since the beginning of the protests.