France: Emergency declared in New Caledonia after protests break out over electoral reforms

A state of emergency was declared in France on the Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia after violent protests broke out against electoral reforms killing one police officer and three others, according to the reports. 

New Caledonia is a French overseas territory located hundreds of miles off Australia’s eastern coast. 

The violence is seen as the worst in decades- is the latest flash point in long-running tensions over Paris’ role in the archipelago. 

"On behalf of the government, I reiterate before you the call for calm and appeasement," government spokeswoman Prisca Thevenot said Wednesday at a news briefing following a ministerial meeting.

Honouring the four individuals who perished in the turmoil, she demanded "the resumption of political dialogue" as a means of putting an end to the bloodshed.

The island's capital, Noumea, saw the declaration of a state of emergency on Wednesday at 5 am and 8 pm (Paris time).

State of emergency declarations are permitted under French law in cases of "imminent danger resulting from serious breaches of public order."

According to the Washington Post, it gives local authorities more authority to, among other things, bar the public from visiting particular locations, conduct searches, and keep people from entering such places if they are thought to pose a risk to public safety.