Protesters storm Guadeloupe legislature over vaccine rules

PARIS (AP) — Protesters angry over virus and vaccine rules have occupied Guadeloupe’s regional legislature because of stalled negotiations over their grievances about management of the French Caribbean island. Officials in Guadeloupe and Paris denounced Thursday’s incursion as unacceptable and a threat to the democratically elected Regional Council. Officials posted images online that showed a Christmas tree knocked over and a banner reading “No to Obligatory Vaccination, No to the Health Pass.” Vaccinations are mandatory for all French health workers and a “health pass” is required to enter many venues. The measures have met the stiffest opposition in Guadeloupe and Martinique, reflecting long-running frustrations over inequality between the islands and the French mainland.