Another day of chaos in Haiti: at least six dead amid protests, looting and clashes between the Police and a paramilitary group

76

At least six people have died and more than a dozen were injured in violent anti-government demonstrations in Haiti on Wednesday. The protests brought together several thousand people demanding the departure of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The demonstrations come after 30 months of his rule without any concrete results.

Among the deceased are five agents from the Protected Areas Surveillance Brigade (BSAP), a new armed entity over which the authorities have completely lost control, who fell during clashes with agents of the Haitian National Police in the area of Laboule, in the hills of the capital. In the morning, a person died in Ouanaminthe, in the northeast of the country, after attacking a National Police station, which violently retaliated against the protesters. There were also violent clashes between the National Police and protesters in Les Cayes, Jérémie, and other provincial cities resulting in numerous injuries, looting, and burning of public institutions.

Protesters in many parts of the country carried firearms, machetes, and knives, determined to force the departure of the prime minister. Police officers used tear gas and bullets to violently disperse protests organized by the opposition in the metropolitan area. At the end of the day, many streets and neighborhoods in the capital remained barricaded, leaving the streets empty of people.

Anti-government protests are expected to continue tomorrow. The Protected Areas Surveillance Brigade (BSAP) also counted victims among its ranks this Wednesday, with hundreds of agents supporting former senator Guy Philippe and wanting to provoke a “revolution” in the country. The government prohibits them from moving through the city and carrying weapons and ammunition.

Calls for Prime Minister Henry’s resignation, as well as the intensification of anti-government protests, have increased the level of violence in recent weeks. The protests come even after an agreement signed in December 2022, which was supposed to mark Henry’s departure on February 7.