Violent Conflicts Erupt in Haiti as Police Allegedly Kill 5 Environmental Protection Agents

Violent Confrontation in Haiti's Capital

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Tensions escalated in Haiti's capital on Wednesday as police were accused of fatally shooting five armed environmental protection agents during ongoing protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The deadly confrontation occurred in the Laboule community of Port-au-Prince, where officers clashed with members of Haiti’s Security Brigade for Protected Areas, according to Lionel Lazarre, head of the police union Synapoha.

Conflicting Reports of the Incident

Lazarre, who was not present at the scene but was informed by officers directly involved, initially stated that four individuals had been killed. However, he later revised the number to five. He alleged that the environmental agents opened fire in response to police demands to disarm, leading to the fatal exchange of gunfire. AP was unable to independently verify this account, and the Security Brigade for Protected Areas could not be reached for comment.

Authorities' Response

Garry Desrosiers, spokesman for Haiti's National Police, did not respond to requests for comment. Additionally, a police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the fatal shootings in a separate interview with the AP but did not disclose his identity. The police were observed towing a pickup truck bearing the environmental agency's name and displaying multiple bullet holes on its windshield.

Riots continue in Haiti's capital

Elsewhere in Port-au-Prince, clashes persisted as officials used tear gas and live ammunition to disperse protesting crowds. On Tuesday, larger demonstrations took place, coinciding with the unexpected appearance of former rebel leader Guy Philippe in the capital. Philippe publicly pledged to take to the streets on Wednesday, although his whereabouts remained unconfirmed.

The unrest occurs as Haitians demand Prime Minister Henry's resignation by February 7, a historically significant date in the country's politics. Notably, on February 7, 1986, former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier fled to France, and in 1991, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Haiti’s first democratically-elected president, was sworn into office.