Haiti: Massacre in Port-Au-Prince Leaves Over 20 People Dead
After the violent event, citizens took to the streets to protest against President Jovenel Moise.
Over 20 people Monday died in Port-au-Prince after a group of armed men set fire to houses and attacked people in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Haiti’s capital.
Videos showed hundreds of people fleeing amid gunfire from the Bel Air neighborhood, where the massacre took place. Residents sheltered in the Champ de Mars public square.
Before the attack, strong confrontations between armed groups were reported. Local outlets point to former police officer Jimmy Cherizier (a.k.a. Barbecue) as the person responsible for the violent events.
Cherizier and his G9 gang committed the massacre while confronting members of a rival gang that is based in Bel-Air. The causes of these confrontations are still unknown.
The former officer has an arrest warrant for his participation in the La Saline massacre, which occurred on Nov. 13, 2019 and left 50 deaths. However, authorities are keeping Cherizier free.
According to the Je Klere Foundation (FJKL), Barbecue and his gang are exempt from prosecution because they have the government’s support.
After the massacre, the people took to the streets to protest against President Jovenel Moise. The Port-au-Prince residents fear a new massacre like the one in La Saline.
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The former officer has an arrest warrant for his participation in the La Saline massacre, which occurred on Nov. 13, 2019 and left 50 deaths. However, authorities are keeping Cherizier free.
According to the Je Klere Foundation (FJKL), Barbecue and his gang are exempt from prosecution because they have the government’s support.
After the massacre, the people took to the streets to protest against President Jovenel Moise. The Port-au-Prince residents fear a new massacre like the one in La Saline.
Featured image: Protests against the government after La Saline Massacre, Haiti, Nov. 13, 2019. | Photo: Twitter/ @descifraguerra
