Noumea: Shots fired at nickel plant protest

French authorities say a police officer has been injured near Noumea when young people used firearms against a group of about 80 police trying to remove roadblocks.

The blockades were set up with burning tyres on Saturday and prevented hundreds of people from travelling between Noumea and Mont Dore.

Stranded travellers were put up for the night in emergency accommodation provided by the council.

Police reopened the access road on Sunday, but it’s not known if police made any arrests of those involved in the shooting.

The incident at the village of Saint-Louis was triggered after Kanak chiefs in the southern province had called a meeting to discuss whether to call for the permanent shut-down of the Brazilian-owned six-billion US dollar Vale nickel plant at Goro because of yet another acid spill.

While the chiefs deferred a decision on the nickel plant, people in favour of the site’s closure decided to close the main road in protest.

The Vale plant has been closed for more than two weeks.