On Wednesday, thousands of Haitians protested in the streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince, demanding the government ensure their safety amid ongoing gang violence.
A protester stated, “We are here to give them our demands. We demand freedom, we demand security. We need to work and save our country.”
Demonstrators held tree branches and palm fronds, while others carried machetes and firearms. Schools, banks, and other businesses remained closed in the city.

The protests started peacefully but later escalated with gunfire causing panic as the crowd clashed with the police and fled in fear.
Protesters set ablaze tires, blocking roads and chanting, “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, and get them out.”
This marks the first significant protest against Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who took office in November.
Armed gangs control most of the capital and surrounding areas, and anger and discontent are growing due to the transitional government’s inability to counter them.

Despite the undermanned and underfunded United Nations-backed security mission, little progress has been made to stop the gangs’ advances.
The violence has displaced more than a million people, hindering economic growth and exacerbating mass hunger.
Gangs are also responsible for extortion, mass rapes, and killings.

During a visit to the city in early March, William O’Neill, the United Nations human rights commissioner’s expert on Haiti, described Port-au-Prince as “an open-air prison.”
He stated that there was no safe way to enter or leave except by helicopter.

A recent UN report revealed that over 4,200 people were reported killed in Haiti from July to February, and another 1,356 were injured.