Martinique riots gain force as protesters attack police, journalists

Cars drive around a street barricade made of debris after unrest triggered by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) curbs, which have have already rocked the nearby island of Guadeloupe, in Fort-De-France, Martinique November 25, 2021. REUTERS/Ricardo Arduengo

PARIS (Reuters) -Protests against COVID-19 restrictions in the French territory of Martinique intensified on Thursday and the situation is "very strained," a state official said on Friday, after rioters injured police officers, attacked journalists and set fire to the state representative's residence.

"Last night was clearly more intense than the nights before", a local spokesman for the French state told Reuters on Friday at around 0830 local time.