Mauritius Temporarily Closes Public Schools After Unrest Over Police Shooting

What changed

Mauritius has temporarily closed public schools after protesters burned tyres and blocked roads on Monday night over the shooting of Élodie Thomas, 27. A police sergeant has been provisionally charged in connection with the incident; Thomas, who was wounded while travelling home from work south of the capital on Friday, underwent surgery to remove the bullet.

Why it matters

The unrest has turned a single shooting into a national disruption. Schools are closed, while the Prime Minister’s Office says other public-sector services will operate normally. The education ministry has not said when classrooms will reopen.

The central facts remain unsettled: police have not publicly commented, and the circumstances of the shooting are still unclear. That makes the provisional charge significant, but not a final account of what happened. The next pressure point is whether schools reopen quickly or remain closed as the investigation continues.