Eleven anti-racist militants appeared before the Fort-de-France court from November 5 to 7 for the destruction of four statues in 2020, including two of Victor Schœlcher. These acts, occurring during the commemoration of the abolition of slavery, raise questions about vandalism and colonial history. The judgment is expected on November 17.
After five years of investigation, the trial over statue topplings in Martinique took place from November 5 to 7 before the Fort-de-France correctional court. Eleven people are accused of destroying, in May and July 2020, two statues of Victor Schœlcher – author of the 1848 slavery abolition decree – and two colonial-era sculptures.
The acts occurred in broad daylight in the city centers of Fort-de-France and Schœlcher, widely shared on social media. On May 22, 2020, the day commemorating the abolition of slavery, a group toppled a marble statue of Schœlcher, erected for over a century in front of the former courthouse, now a cultural center. Similar acts followed in July.
Prosecutor Pascale Ganozzi described the case as “historic” in her 50-minute closing: “These three days of hearings have been devoted to a case that we will say is historic.”
The trial raises ongoing questions: is it mere vandalism or a political act against France’s colonial legacy in the Antilles? Are the defendants the true perpetrators? And who owned the statues? The court will deliver its verdict on November 17, without definitive answers yet.