Macron Says French Servicemen To Be Mobilized To Restore Public Order On Reunion Island

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that French servicemen will be mobilized to restore the public order on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, which has been mired in violent protests over soaring gasoline prices.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd November, 2018) French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that French servicemen will be mobilized to restore the public order on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, which has been mired in violent protests over soaring gasoline prices.

"The situation developing in Reunion [a French department] since Saturday is serious. We have taken efforts and will continue to do so � our servicemen will be mobilized starting from tomorrow [Thursday] to restore the public order," Macron tweeted on Wednesday.

French government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said on Wednesday that 30 security officers had been injured and 109 activists had been arrested in five days of violent protests in Reunion. A further 80 gendarmes will be deployed to the Indian Ocean island from Paris soon, Griveaux added.

Large-scale demonstrations over the rise in fuel prices started in France on Saturday. According to the French Interior Ministry, more than 287,000 people attended Saturday's protests. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on Monday that more than 500 people had been injured in France during the protests.

The price of diesel in France has risen by around 23 percent this year, while the gasoline price has gone up by 15 percent. Prices are set to increase further in January. From January 1, 2019 prices for gasoline in France are expected to increase by 2.9 eurocents and for diesel � by 6.5 eurocents per liter.

The movement against the increase in fuel prices has been called "yellow vests" in the name of the obligatory attribute of French drivers � a yellow light-reflective cape.