Rodrigue Petitot, a prominent activist in Martinique, stands at the center of a contentious trial after leading last year’s social movement on the Caribbean island. Known as “Le R,” Petitot, 42, became a figurehead for protests against high living costs and systemic poverty in Martinique, where food prices are 40% higher and poverty rates double those of mainland France.
Petitot, along with three co-accused activists, is charged with unlawfully entering the governor’s residence on November 11 during a meeting with France’s Overseas Territories Minister. The activists, part of the “Gathering for the Protection of Afro-Caribbean People and Resources” (RPPRAC), claim they sought dialogue with the minister and were let in by a police officer, according to court documents.
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Red-shirted supporters rallied outside the tribunal for the two-day hearing, underscoring Petitot’s role as a symbol of resistance. However, Martinique legislator Jiovanny William, who attended the November 11 meeting, criticized their methods, saying, “They wanted to force things, but I regret that they didn’t work with parliamentarians.”
Petitot’s supporters and legal team argue the trial is part of a broader pattern of political repression in France’s overseas territories, a claim echoed by historian Sandrine Lemaire. She described the government’s response to social movements in Martinique and other territories as “neocolonial,” citing instances like the transfer of arrested Kanak leaders from New Caledonia to prisons 10,000 miles away on the mainland.
Gwladys Roger, a fellow activist, accused authorities of using the courts to suppress dissent, stating, “When you want to kill a dog, you say it is rabid.”
Petitot’s lawyer, Eddy Arneton, framed the charges as an attack on freedom of expression, emphasizing that his client’s actions aimed to draw attention to Martinique’s economic inequalities and deteriorating social conditions. If convicted, Petitot faces up to 20 years in prison due to prior offenses.
The trial follows a period of intense unrest in Martinique, marked by protests, curfews, and violence. Between October and November 2023, more than 100 businesses were burned, prompting authorities to impose a month-long curfew.
Petitot himself was sentenced to 10 months in prison in December for a TikTok video in which he threatened to “attack” mayors who failed to stand against the governor. While Petitot clarified that he did not mean physical violence, the sentence was later converted to home confinement.
The unrest in Martinique reflects deeper grievances rooted in the island’s colonial history. Colonized by France in 1635 and later designated a department in 1946, Martinique remains economically dominated by descendants of slave plantation owners, known as “békés.” These economic elites have been accused of exploiting the population through inflated prices, exacerbating tensions in the region.
Martinique’s challenges are not isolated. Other French territories, such as New Caledonia and Mayotte, have also experienced upheaval. In New Caledonia, efforts to reduce the voting rights of indigenous Kanak people sparked protests, while a devastating cyclone in Mayotte left 39 dead and thousands homeless.
For Martinique, the trial of Rodrigue Petitot is more than a legal proceeding—it’s a flashpoint in the island’s decades-long struggle for equality and justice. As historian Sandrine Lemaire noted, the socio-economic disparities and political repression in these territories are “a reminder that the promises of 1946 remain unfulfilled.”
