France bans rallies in New Caledonia during Sunday polls

Gatherings have been banned this weekend in the restive French Pacific territory of New Caledonia during the second round of France's parliamentary polls, Report informs via AFP.

The High Commission, which represents the French state in the archipelago where deadly protests erupted in May, said public gatherings would be forbidden from Saturday morning to Monday night.

"A suitable security presence, including 3,500 police officers and gendarmes, will be put in place on Sunday... to guarantee the smooth running of voting operations," it said.

A ban on weapons and alcohol sales, as well as a night-time curfew that has been in force since the unrest started, will also be extended until July 15.

A wave of rioting and looting erupted in New Caledonia in mid-May over a proposed reform to update the electoral roll to include people originally from outside the territory but with more than 10 years of residency.