Ballots and Bullets: France’s Latest Response to New Caledonia’s Unrest

France has sent both ballots for the European Union elections and a new armoured vehicle, with tear gas and machine gun capability, to troubled New Caledonia.

French gendarmes stand guard near independantists at the entrance of the Riviere Salee disctrict, in Noumea, France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia, on May 29, 2024. Riots sparked by a constitutional reform project broke out on May 13. France has lifted a state of emergency across the territory after two weeks of unrest in which seven people died and hundreds were injured (Photo by Theo Rouby / AFP) Photo by THEO ROUBY/AFP via Getty Images

Although the state of emergency was officially lifted on May 28, police in New Caledonia have taken delivery of a new weapon designed to quell riots—state-of-the-art armoured trucks, able to be fitted with machine guns and capable of going off-road.

Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories Gérald Darmanin said the vehicles, known as Centaur, can also fire tear gas from the turret and can carry up to ten people.