At least 15 people died amid riots that erupted in several Papua New Guinea cities, prompting the government to summon the army to restore order. Peaceful demonstrations initially organized to protest a civil servant salary tax increase were overshadowed by opportunistic looting and violence, as criminals exploited the unrest. In Port Moresby, the capital, and in Lae, the country’s second largest city, looting and fires spread quickly. Reports from ABC, the Australian public broadcaster, cited the Lae metropolitan police as saying eight people had died in Port Moresby and seven in Lae.
Emergency services were overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis. The ambulance network reported a flood of calls, with accounts of gunfire and a number of injuries arising from an explosion. Saint John Ambulance Papua New Guinea, posting on its social media channels, confirmed the strain on first responders and the surge in urgent incidents across the capital.
Video footage circulating on social networks showed warehouses ablaze and crowds swarming shops while large gatherings continued to loot into the night. Local reporting indicated that the violence expanded beyond the initial hotspots and persisted well after dark, complicating the security response. The disturbances followed a large pre-dawn assembly in Parliament, where roughly 200 striking police, military, and prison officers gathered to voice opposition to the tax increase in a peaceful demonstration, a scene later described by officials as an opportunity for looters to sow chaos amidst weak security.
In response to the evolving situation, Prime Minister James Marape addressed the nation and urged citizens to stay indoors and refrain from unlawful actions. He stressed the government’s determination to restore stability and announced an inquiry to determine responsibilities for the breakdown of order. He also noted that police had not been able to maintain normal operations in key urban centers the previous day, attributing the unrest to a breakdown in public safety rather than widespread popular support for the protests.
As the situation deteriorated, Defense forces were authorized to assist law enforcement with maintaining order. Military personnel began moving through Lae with instructions for crowds to disperse and for roads to be kept clear, and images circulated showing security personnel working to reopen blocked streets and secure official buildings. Local authorities and the national government highlighted the need to prevent further violence while addressing the underlying grievances that sparked the protests.
Papua New Guinea, a nation rich in natural resources yet grappling with high poverty levels affecting a significant portion of its population, faces ongoing challenges in communications, particularly in remote areas where essential health services and education remain sparse. The country gained independence from Australia in 1975 and recently renewed a security agreement with Canberra that includes financial support aimed at modernizing police capabilities. The current crisis underscores a broader history marked by political intrigue, corruption, and internal tensions, issues that continue to shape the country’s governance and security landscape.