Haitian police tear-gas peaceful protesters, demanding help in stopping gangs

20/8/2024 6:34

        Police in Haiti's capital tear-gassed hundreds of peaceful protesters Monday as they called on law enforcement to help them stop the gangs that have been violently seizing control of their neighborhoods.
        
        Protesters burned tires to show their anger over the police action and express their frustration as recent moves to quell rampant gang violence in Port-au-Prince have largely been unsuccessful.
        
        Local media reported that the attacks were carried out by a coalition of gangs led by Kempes Sanon, a convicted kidnapper who escaped from prison in 2021, and notorious gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, also known as "Barbecue".
        
        Since the killing of President Jovenel Moise in 2021, gangs have consumed much of the country and currently control about 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
        
        In Solino, the gangs sought to seize control of a strategic route, including the road leading to the capital's international airport. Families in the area have been left terrorized and with few options left.
        
        Despite promises to prioritize security by recently appointed Prime Minister Garry Conille and the arrival of around 400 Kenyan police officers, part of a UN-backed mission, many in Haiti say they've felt no respite to the bloodshed.