TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Riots in Dutch Quarter

Hello,

Has anyone on Island got any first hand account of the riots ?

Does anybody know what they are fighting for ?

Sandy Ground riots where a response to the French Side dispossessing locals of their shore-line homes. They had been in families for hundreds of years and, understandably, locals were prepared to fight and the government gave in.

It could be the fact of the police controls and then like in the US; it is a free-for-all with rioting, looting and destruction for no good reason.

Honestly I have had enough, will be selling our house and moving on.

Donate it to charity. Like to me.😂

Pretty sure you don’t want that house, Scuba, keep your time share. I’ve seen it. Back to the riots in the Dutch Quarter.

And now there is a travel warning about SXM because of the riots.

By whom?

The travel warning is most likely bogus. It's circulating on social media but is not published on the official consulate website.

Was it really a Riot or just a bunch of pissed off kids looking for attention and burnt up a few cars? Who is calling this a RIOT? Seems like a media Headline and not a true accounting of what happened. Remember in Sandy Ground French Side not long ago they burned lots of cars over a new land policy so its not so uncommon and should not be that concerning, it just how unfortunately want to express the frustration. Almost everywhere these days is having some issues but I still think SXM is the best vacation spot and for everyone that gets sick of it and says they won't go back 5 more people discover SXM and love it. And that's why you see all this new development , real estate prices surging and traffic jams in July etc.

Thanks for your constructive response.

According to the US Department of State, there is nothing significant and this goes back to 2023.

Herald article.
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islan...1RDVyiAZVPw6Q_aem_THQsAs3s3LYPmmMaOuBrPw

FYI, not much really.

Thanks JD. I knew there was something new, not earthshattering, but a reason to avoid that area, and to be careful around election day.

And, IF AA cooperates, that is the day I arrive. Sadly, AA has not been meeting their schedule, at least not today leaving out of DAY.

Basic common sense and precaution should be observed at all times.

Good luck with AA. Not sure what has been going on with them. Hopefully they will be on time for us today, coming home from St Croix.

One morning the flight was cancelled (no idea why) and yesterday it was delayed by 2 hours with no weather issues so it had to be maintenance or crew problems. Weather has created problems on several of the return flights, 4-5 have been diverted from CLT to other airports. Oh well.

Good luck on the return.

Good luck to you.

Thanks. Just going to check now on our plane. Our plane comes down from Miami and turns around to go back.

Riots in Dutch Quarter worry me more than the French side riots. The French are well seasoned in how to create a riot but the youth in Dutch Quarter are scooter gangs and a different group.