Martinique's airport shuts down as violent protesters overrun tarmac and try to break in

PARIS -- Hundreds of passengers are stranded in the French Caribbean island of Martinique after its international airport was forced to shut down as protesters overran the tarmac and tried to break in, the airport and local authorities said.

Since Monday night, Martinique has been gripped by bouts of protests over the high cost of living that turned violent, with at least one person killed as demonstrators set fire to a police station, cars and road barricades and clashed with officers.

According to a statement from the International Airport of Martinique Aimé Césaire on Facebook on Thursday night, “no departing or arriving flights will be operated” until further notice.

Earlier on Thursday, protesters overran the tarmac on the airport in the island's capital, Fort-de-France, and tried to force the main entrance, where hundreds of passengers had taken shelter, according to videos posted on social media.

Police securing the entrance can be seen fending off assaults from the demonstrators and firing what appears to be tear gas in their direction.

Three planes carrying some 1,000 passengers had to be diverted to nearby island of Guadeloupe on Thursday, Martinique local prefecture said in its statement. Another 500 passengers who were supposed to board those flights were stuck at the Fort-de-France airport, it said.

The prefecture said the run on the airport came after “rumors” spread on social media about the imminent arrival of hundreds of French police officers by plane.

“This completely false information is at the origin of groupings and the invasion of the airport runway,” the statement read.

So far this week, nearly a dozen officers were injured as protesters threw bottles and rocks and police responded with tear gas, according to the government. Some demonstrators also opened fire, officials said.

The latest round of violence prompted the government to announce another curfew as it stressed that demonstrations on public roads were prohibited.

It is the latest in a string of protests that began in early September, prompting France to send special anti-riot police to the island, which has banned demonstrations in certain areas.

Martinique has seen similar protests in recent years, many of them fueled by anger over what demonstrators say is economic, social and racial inequality.