Mauritius extends curfew and shuts schools as worst unrest since 1999 continues

How the protests turned violent

Protests over water shortages and the rising cost of living had been building before the shooting. 20 Minuten reports the water shortage had lasted almost two weeks, while the BBC dates the start of peaceful protests to about a week before the violence. The unrest escalated on Friday, 9 October, when police shot a 27-year-old woman at a roadblock, according to the BBC, and witnesses told 20 Minuten the officer fired without warning. Europa Press calls the disturbances that followed the worst wave of unrest in 25 years. Protesters burned tyres and blocked roads, and Al Jazeera reports that on Monday, 12 October, demonstrators did the same in response to the shooting. Bloomberg describes the rioting and looting of 12 October as the worst since 1999, and 20 Minuten reports two supermarkets were looted and several officers were injured in attacks on police stations.

Curfew and school closures

On Tuesday, 13 October, Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam announced a curfew that Al Jazeera reports would run from 8:30pm until 6am. Europa Press reports the government extended it for Wednesday, 14 October, with the new curfew running from 20:30 until 05:00 on Thursday, 15 October. Ramgoolam blamed a group he said was inciting hatred and violence, and in an address to the nation he warned of consequences:

Those who have carried out these actions will have to face the very heavy consequences warranted by their anti-patriotic acts.

Accounts of the area covered by the first curfew differ: Europa Press says 15 regions, including the capital Port Louis, while 20 Minuten describes ten administrative regions covering about a third of the island. Schools stay closed for the rest of the week of 12 October, with only those running international exams open, Europa Press reports, and the BBC says public transport was also shut.

1. Oct 9, 2026Police shoot a 27-year-old woman at a roadblock, wounding her
2. Oct 12, 2026Protesters burn tyres and block roads
3. Oct 13, 2026Prime minister announces curfew from 8:30pm to 6am
4. Oct 14, 2026Curfew extended for Wednesday and Thursday nights

Police response and the shooting inquiry

Police reported several incidents overnight despite the curfew and made several arrests, the BBC reports. By Wednesday morning, 14 October, police said traffic was moving again across the island and urged residents to resume normal activities. The officer who fired has been arrested and remanded in custody, according to the BBC, and Europa Press says he was formally charged. Police say an investigation into the shooting is underway, and the circumstances remain unclear. The 27-year-old woman had surgery to remove a bullet, the Health Ministry said according to Al Jazeera, and 20 Minuten reports she remains in hospital.

Tourists on the ground

A woman from western Switzerland holidaying in Grand Baie on the north coast told 20 Minuten that shops and restaurants were closed and her group struggled to find food. The group eventually found a small shop with its shutters lowered and bought water, bread and pasta there. She said police patrolled the streets to make sure everyone, including hotel guests, was indoors before 20:30. Locals warned tourists to be off the streets from 18:00 onward, she said. Foreign embassies issued alerts urging their nationals to be cautious, the BBC reports, and 20 Minuten says flights appear to continue for now.

Outlook

The cabinet is due to meet on Wednesday afternoon, 14 October, to reassess the situation and decide on next steps, the BBC reports. Zoë McCathie, an analyst at South Africa-based Signal Risk, told the BBC that the government had supplied extra water to households when the shortage began. She said the government had managed to contain the worst of the unrest, though protests could return in some areas. Water shortages are expected to last until the rainy season in December, she said.