2022 Corsica unrest
 | This article needs to be updated. (April 2022) |
| 2022 Corsica unrest | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Corsican conflict | |||
 Scene of disorder. A flag of Corsica is planted in the centre, and an image of Yvan Colonna on the right | |||
| Date | 9 March 2022–ongoing | ||
| Location | |||
| Caused by | Beating and death of Corsican nationalist Yvan Colonna in prison | ||
| Methods | Protests, rioting, arson | ||
| Parties to the civil conflict | |||
| Casualties and losses | |||
| |||
In March 2022, the island of Corsica, France, saw protests in response to a prison attack on nationalist leader Yvan Colonna.[1][2] There were rallies in the main cities of Ajaccio, Calvi and Bastia that descended into violent clashes between police and protestors.[3][4] Protestors threw stones and flares at gendarmes.[5]
Background[edit]
| History of Corsica |
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 History portal |
Yvan Colonna was a Corsican nationalist who was arrested in 2003 for the 1998 murder of Corsican prefect Claude Érignac. Colonna is a hero among many Corsicans, and has become a symbol of Corsican nationalism. On 2 March 2022, a Cameroonian jihadist inmate started stabbing Colonna in his prison cell, seriously injuring the latter and sending him into a coma. His attack sparked the series of riots in Corsica.[6] Colonna died at hospital of his wounds on 21 March 2022, at the age of 61, three weeks after being attacked.[7]
Events[edit]
On 9 March, windows were smashed and the courthouse of Ajaccio was set on fire.[8] A bank was also damaged with a hijacked mini excavator.[9] On 10 March, many projectiles were thrown at police outside a Calvi government building.[10] The same night cars were set on fire in downtown Ajaccio.[11]
Rioting flared up again on 13 March, when 7,000–12,000 protesters marched in the streets in defence of Colonna. The protests spiralled into riots, and police officers sprayed demonstrators with tear gas and water cannons as rioting continued. Rioters in Bastia attacked numerous infrastructure, including the local post office and a tax office. Police officers said that 67 people had been injured in total; 44 of them were members of the police.[6] The number was later revised to 102 injuries in total with 77 police injuries.[12]
The National Liberation Front of Corsica announced on 16 March that they supported the demonstrators and that a last straw would result in an insurrection that could renew their militant campaign against the French government.[13]
On 21 March, Colonna died of his injuries. While protests erupted, the demonstrations were more peaceful and no riots occurred.[14] Tensions continued and French authorities put Corsica on "maximum riot alert".[15]
On 28 March, a rally was held in front of riot police barracks near Bastia.[16]
On April 7, 2022, two villas in Canale-di-Verde and Ghisonaccia were set on fire. Investigators found a tag in the Canale-di-Verde house written with the words "For Yvan."[17][18]
A few days later, a villa in Chevano, Pianottoli-Caldarello was destroyed. The walls were vandalized with phrases such as "Per tè Yvan," "IFF" and "For a Francia!!!" Additional messages on the building showed that the attack was claimed by a group named the Action des jeunes pour la renaissance de la Corse or AJRC.[19] A house in Conca was burned the next day with similar messages found on the scene.[20]
Response[edit]
President of the Executive Council of Corsica Gilles Simeoni said that the attack on Colonna was an assassination attempt, and called for the Castex government to respond.[21][22] Due to the unrest affecting the upcoming campaign for the presidential election and parliamentary election, the French government is reportedly considering giving autonomy to Corsica.[23][24]
On 21 March, there were demonstrations of solidarity by exponents of Sardinian independence at the French consulate of Sassari.[25]
References[edit]
- ^ "Protests intensify in Corsica one week after prison attack on separatist leader Colonna". uk.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- ^ "Riots shake Corsica over assault of jailed nationalist figure". uk.finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- ^ "Riots shake France's Corsica over assault on jailed nationalist". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- ^ "Corsica protests turn to riots over assault of jailed nationalist Yvan Colonna". France 24. 2022-03-10. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- ^ Ajaccio, Agence France-Presse in (2022-03-10). "Clashes in Corsica after prison attack on nationalist figure". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- ^ a b "Riots in Corsica over jailed nationalist leave dozens injured". RFI. 2022-03-14. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
- ^ "Yvan Colonna: Corsican nationalist dies after jihadist jail attack". BBC. 21 March 2022.
- ^ "Corsica's Ajaccio court on fire during Yvan Colonna riots". uk.finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ "Manifestations en soutien à Yvan Colonna : nouvelle soirée de tensions en Corse". France Bleu (in French). 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- ^ "Protesters Throw Projectiles at Police Outside Corsica Government Building". uk.movies.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- ^ "Cars Set Alight as Protests Continue on Corsica". uk.style.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- ^ "France may offer Corsica 'autonomy' as it struggles to quell protests". the Guardian. 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ^ "France may offer Corsica 'autonomy' as it struggles to quell protests". the Guardian. 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ^ "Macron calls for calm after death of jailed Corsican nationalist". the Guardian. 2022-03-22. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ^ "Corsica on riot alert as nationalist Yvan Colonna dies after prison attack". uk.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ^ "Corsica: Tense rally near riot police barracks". euronews. 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
- ^ https://www.ouest-france.fr/corse/mort-d-yvan-colonna-incendie-volontaire-d-une-maison-deja-visee-deux-fois-et-taguee-per-yvan-b5ec1c14-b660-11ec-b116-e879225002a2 (in French)
- ^ "Ghisonaccia : une résidence secondaire visée par un attentat". France 3 Corse ViaStella (in French). Retrieved 2022-04-22.
- ^ "Pianottoli : une résidence secondaire détruite par un incendie criminel". France 3 Corse ViaStella (in French). Retrieved 2022-04-22.
- ^ "Conca : deux maisons visées par des incendies criminels en deux nuits". France 3 Corse ViaStella (in French). Retrieved 2022-04-22.
- ^ "Gilles Simeoni: «Nous ne sommes pas à l'abri d'un embrasement généralisé en Corse»". LEFIGARO (in French). 2022-03-11. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- ^ "Corse : l'autonomiste Gilles Simeoni appelle le gouvernement à « ouvrir un véritable dialogue »". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2022-03-11. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- ^ "French government floats Corsican 'autonomy' as unrest jolts election campaign". France 24. 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
- ^ Samuel, Henry (2022-03-16). "France considering giving Corsica 'autonomy' as violent protests sweep island". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
- ^ "Il vento indipendentista spazza di nuovo la Corsica". La Nuova Sardegna (in Italian). 2022-03-21. Retrieved 2022-03-22.