French president likely to impose state of emergency in the territory of New Caledonia

French President Emmanuel Macron is considering imposing state of emergency in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia to curb spiraling violence, the presidency said Wednesday.

At least three people were killed and four others, including a gendarme, were seriously injured, according to officials in the territory and French media reports on Wednesday. 

More than 130 people have been arrested and more than 300 have been injured since Monday, when protests over a constitutional voting reform pushed by Paris turned violent in the archipelago, which has long sought independence.

Speaking at parliament, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who attended a two-hour meeting with top ministers at the Elysee, said the aim of the state of emergency would be to restore order in the shortest time possible.

A decree on the methods to impose the state of emergency is to be presented to the French Cabinet on Wednesday afternoon.

In a statement, Macron emphasized the need for a resumption of political dialogue and asked the prime minister and the minister of the interior and overseas territories to invite New Caledonian delegations to Paris.

All violence is intolerable and will be the subject of a relentless response to ensure the return of order, the statement said.

There have been decades of tensions on the archipelago between Indigenous Kanaks seeking independence and descendants of colonizers who want to remain part of France.

French Minister of Interior and Overseas Territories Grald Darmanin said that 100 gendarmes were evacuated during violence overnight following an attack on their station with an ax and live ammunition.

On Tuesday, the French Interior Ministry sent police reinforcements to New Caledonia, which long served as a prison colony and now hosts a French military base.

About 1,000 gendarmes and 700 police officers have been deployed and a dozen professionals from a specialized police intervention and riot control unit have also been mobilized, the territory's top French official, High Commissioner Louis Le Franc, said at a news conference in New Caledonia.

The territory's political parties appealed for calm and reason with people who support independence and those who want the island to remain part of France.

Three people were killed and four were seriously injured in the unrest overnight and on Wednesday, French officials said. 

Le Franc warned that if calm isn't restored, there will be many deaths in the area of the capital, Noumea, where protests over the voting rights turned violent on Tuesday.

Local authorities extended a curfew until Thursday morning.

Clashes between police and protesters have continued in and around Noumea despite the curfew and a ban on gatherings.

Schools have been closed until further notice and the main airport, La Tontoura, remains closed to commercial flights, Le Franc said.