Thousands of residents in French Polynesia protested this weekend to oppose the growing influence of methamphetamines in the territory.
According to a Radio New Zealand report on Monday, co-ordinator Kathy Gaudot said that the protests were aimed at raising awareness on the perils of using illegal substances, which have affected 30,000 people in the territory, including children.
Aside from this, Gaudot emphasised the gravity of the issue, which has been worsening for the past 20 years.
“Now that the response from the public has been so big, our call can’t be ignored any longer,” she declared.
Defiant marchers say ‘No to ICE’
The main march’s route was through the capital, Papeete, but other protests took place outside the main island of Tahiti in Moorea, Nuku Hiva, Hao, Hiva Oa, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Huahine, and even the Marquesas Islands.
People who joined in wore white shirts and held up placards reading ‘No to ICE’, with methamphetamine crystals often referred to as ‘ice’ in French Polynesia.
Since the beginning of 2025, authorities have seized 265 kilogrammes of ice, primarily as part of maritime surveillance operations in French Polynesia’s waters.
However, the majority of the captured drugs were bound for markets such as Australia and, to a lesser extent, New Zealand.
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President asks French government for help
In late June, French Polynesian President Moetai Charles Brotherson had called on the government of France to declare the fight against ice a national priority.
He also asked for assistance in terms of finances.
According to Brotherson, the past year has seen a 28 per cent rise in drug-related court cases with an increasing involvement of minors.
“The judicial system is under strain and calls are mounting for more preventative programmes, expanded law enforcement resources, and sustained support for communities and non-government organisations,” he said.
Brotherson further noted that recent changes have seen Tahiti’s general hospital open a new “psychiatric emergency” section, where specialists in psychiatry and addictionology are available to treat “vulnerable” and “agitated” patients.
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Geoffrey H. Latayan 
Vivien Bernardino