Haiti cops shoot at crowd

2005-03-24 19:41

Cite Soleil, Haiti - Gunfire erupted on Thursday at protest outside Haiti's capital of several thousand people calling for the return of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and at least one man was killed and another wounded, witnesses said.

The protest started peacefully in the seaside slum of Cite Soleil with marchers waving photos of Aristide, who was ousted from power last year, and chanting "Aristide forever!"

Several gunshots rang out as the demonstrators approached the local police station, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene. The origin of the gunfire was not clear and police officers immediately dropped to the ground but did not open fire. No injuries were reported at that point.

Police opened fire on crowd

Five to 10 minutes later, some 3km away on the road leading to the international airport, shots broke out again, wounding one man in the arm and killing another.

"I was getting off the bus, when all of a sudden I see police shooting, and I got hit in the arm," said school principal Charles Christner, 34, moaning in pain on a gurney in Pavilion Notre Dame Hospital in an area near Cite Soleil.

Witnesses said that some police opened fire into the crowd.

"It was a peaceful protest," protester Candio Astral said. "People weren't carrying any guns or sticks, but the police started shooting."

Astral said he saw some police fire into the air and others fire into the crowd.

- SAPA