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       Papua New Guinea Orders Military to Restore Order as Unrest Rocks Capital

       Angry protests started after hundreds of police officers and other public servants appeared to walk off their jobs over a wage dispute.

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       Crowds leaving shops with looted goods during a protest in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Wednesday. Credit...Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

       By Christopher Cottrell

       Reporting from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

       Jan. 10, 2024

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       The government of Papua New Guinea on Wednesday ordered the military to restore order in the capital, Port Moresby, after a dispute over the wages of police officers and other public servants led to angry protests and unrest.

       More than a dozen shops were set on fire, at least one car was torched and there were reports of widespread looting. The United States Embassy said shots had been fired near its compound and advised its employees to shelter in place. Demonstrators also damaged the entrance to the building that holds the prime minister’s office.

       The extent of damage and casualties, if any, was unclear, but Port Moresby, a city of about 400,000 people, remained on edge Wednesday night as businesses closed early and big hotels beefed up security.

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       A version of this article appears in print on Jan. 11, 2024, Section A , Page 12 of the New York edition with the headline: Police Strike Over Pay Cut, And Unrest Rocks Capital . Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

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