HTH -- Haiti Earthquake

May 11, 2010. Police break up protest in Haiti

SOURCE: Altegrity Risk International

Police fired tear gas at a crowd of more than 1,000 protesters outside the ruins of the national palace in Port-au-Prince on May 10th, as protesters called for the resignation of President Rene Preval. Police reportedly fired their weapons into the air after protesters began throwing rocks; there were no apparent injuries. The protest comes one week after demonstrations in Jacmel called for the president to resign. Protesters have accused the president of using the January 12th earthquake as a pretext to stay in office beyond his term; last week Preval said he would stay up to three months after his term expires if elections cannot be held before November 2010. Additional protests have been reported in Petionville and near the Champ de Mars national mall.