Thousands of Haitians took to the streets in Port-au-Prince to express their anger against armed gangs that control nearly all of the capital and surrounding areas and the government's failure to hold them off.
Violent armed groups have united behind a coalition known as Viv Ansanm and forced over 1 million people from their homes, which has contributed to a freezing of the economy and fueled mass hunger. They are also accused of extortion, mass rapes, and killings.
The transitional government, a rotating body of presidential council members appointed nearly a year ago, alongside a long undermanned and underfunded UN-backed security mission, have done little to hold off the gangs' advances.
"Do you see what is happening?" protestor Joseph Mackendy told Reuters at the demonstration. "Today, Haitian people will fight to be free already. We are free. Those men today cannot frighten me."
Read more here.
