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A policeman in New Caledonia shot and killed a protester on Friday, a day after the French president travelled to the pacific island calling for calm.
Seven people have now died since riots broke out over proposed electoral changes in the French territory.
The protester is believed to have been a 48-year-old man and is the first time a civilian has been killed by a law enforcement member since the riots started on May 13.
Prosecutor Yves Dupas said a police officer and his colleague were "physically attacked by a group of around 15 individuals".
"In circumstances that have yet to be determined, the officer is said to have fired a shot from his service weapon to extricate himself from the physical altercation," he said in a statement.
The officer who allegedly fired the shots has been taken into custody.
A state of emergency remains in place in New Caledonia after protesters set up road blocks, started fires and looted buildings.
The violence is the deadliest in New Caledonia in four decades.
The death of the protester is a blow to French president Emmanuel Macron's efforts to defuse tensions in New Caledonia.
He travelled to the island on Thursday and after hours of meetings with local leaders decided to delay proposed voting changes.
The electoral changes would allow thousands of French residents who have lived in the French territory for 10 years to vote.
The territory's Indigenous Kanaks, who make up more than 40 per cent of the population, see the changes as an attempt to torpedo the territory's independence movement.
Mr Macron said he would not force the proposed changes through in their current form and that more talks were needed.
"We will allow some weeks to allow a calming of tensions and resumption of dialogue to find a broad accord," he said.
Mr Macron said it would take several days for calm to return.
Pro-independence groups are reportedly waiting further instructions from the island's pro-independence political party, but say they are willing to continue the protests.
ABC/AFP