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Residents of Canapé Vert, a neighborhood in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, staged a protest on Tuesday, demanding protection from gangs that have been terrorizing their community.
Armed with machetes and stones, demonstrators attempted to march toward the Prime Minister’s office but were met with tear gas as police blocked their path.
Residents Take Matters Into Their Own Hands
For days, Canapé Vert residents had been hearing threats of a gang invasion and repeatedly appealed to the police for protection—calls that seemingly went unanswered.
On Wednesday, the community decided to act. Armed with knives and machetes, they barricaded roads leading to the neighborhood using felled trees and burning tires.
A protester draped in the Haitian flag blamed the government for the growing power of gangs. “This is our flag! They (gangs) will not drive us out,” they declared, refusing to reveal their identity.
Another protester echoed the frustration: “We have nowhere to go. We say no—that is enough!”
It remains unclear why authorities did not respond to residents’ distress calls, many of which were made live on local radio.
Gang Threat and Worsening Violence
The gang threatening Canapé Vert is part of the Viv Ansanm coalition, which has already seized control of large parts of the capital.
Since late February, Viv Ansanm has carried out coordinated attacks targeting key government infrastructure. The group has raided police stations, fired on Haiti’s main international airport—forcing its closure for nearly three months—and stormed the country’s two largest prisons, freeing more than 4,000 inmates.
Gangs now control 85% of Port-au-Prince, steadily expanding into previously peaceful communities. As government institutions weaken, residents fear they will be left to fend for themselves against relentless violence.
