HTH -- Haiti Earthquake

March 1, 2012. Large protest against President Martelly in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

SOURCE: Altegrity Risk International

Several thousand supporters of two-time President Jean-Bertrand Aristide filled the streets of Port-au-Prince on February 29th on the eighth anniversary of his ouster, accusing the country's current leader of not doing enough to improve their lives. It was the largest demonstration against President Michel Martelly since he took office in May and pointed to mounting political strife between the president and his critics as the country struggles to rebuild from a 2010 earthquake. The demonstrators also called for the departure of Haiti's U.N. peacekeeping mission.

The demonstration began in front of the downtown parish where Aristide once preached as a priest. Protesters then marched through the shanty strongholds that supported Aristide and sang about how they would not betray the ex-president. There were a few incidents in which rocks and bottles were thrown at the demonstrators and they retaliated by doing the same. A few people suffered minor injuries.