Mauritius closes schools after unrest over police shooting [Photo/Courtesy]
Mauritius has temporarily closed schools in parts of the country following violent protests triggered by the shooting of a 27-year-old woman by a police officer, as authorities moved to contain tensions on the Indian Ocean island.
The Ministry of Education announced the closures on Tuesday, October 13, a day after demonstrators burned tyres and blocked roads in several areas during a night of unrest.
According to Reuters, the protests followed the shooting of Élodie Thomas, who was wounded on Friday night while travelling home from work in a van in a residential area south of the capital, Port Louis.
A police sergeant has been provisionally charged in connection with the shooting, according to local media reports. However, details of the circumstances leading to the incident have not been made public.
Health Minister Anil Bachoo said Thomas had undergone successful surgery to remove the bullet. Police have not publicly commented on the shooting but have confirmed that investigations are under way.
The incident has sparked anger among residents, with demonstrations escalating into violence on Monday night and prompting police deployments in affected areas.
The Ministry of Education did not specify when the affected schools would reopen, saying it would provide an update later.
Despite the unrest, the Prime Minister’s Office said the situation had returned to normal and that public sector services would operate as usual.
The temporary school closures reflect concerns over public safety as authorities seek to prevent further disturbances.
Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, is generally considered one of Africa’s more stable countries. Public unrest is relatively rare, making the latest disturbances a significant challenge for authorities.
The shooting and subsequent protests have drawn attention to police conduct and the need for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Thomas’ injuries.
Authorities have yet to provide a detailed public account of the shooting or outline any additional measures to prevent a recurrence of the violence.
The investigation is expected to establish what happened when the officer fired the shot that wounded Thomas, while the government faces the immediate task of maintaining public order and ensuring schools and other essential services can resume normal operations.