Haiti Police Investigates Deadly Church-Led Protest Into Gang Territory

Haiti Police Director Frantz Elbé expressed a commitment on Monday to hold accountable those responsible for encouraging parishioners to take up arms to confront gang members over the weekend, AP reports.

The ill-fated action led to a tragic outcome, as the group was met with lethal gunfire from the gang members they were targeting.

The protest was led by a religious leader named Marcorel Zidor, and he was reportedly accompanied by unidentified individuals armed with assault rifles.

As they marched towards the community of Canaan, controlled by a powerful Hait gang under the leadership of "Jeff," gunfire erupted from the gang members, resulting in multiple casualties and several individuals being kidnapped.

Canaan, a community established by survivors of the 2010 earthquake, has been controlled by a Haiti gang, whose alliance with the "Five Seconds" gang further complicates the security situation.

READ NEXT: At Least 7 Died After Haiti Gang Opens Fire on Protesting Parishioners

Survivor Tells What Happened During the Haiti Deadly Protest

Amidst the aftermath of the tragic incident, one protester, Francois Vicner, shared his harrowing experience of the demonstration, according to Al Jazeera.

He recounted that they were met with gunfire from various types of weapons. Vicner also revealed that the evangelical pastor leading the protest, Marcorel Zidor, portrayed the violence as a test of religious devotion.

Zidor convinced his followers that they were bulletproof due to their faith and that those wounded lacked sufficient faith, said Vicner.

However, Zidor defended his stance in a radio interview, claiming that 95% of his parishioners were unharmed as they faced the gunfire.

He stated that those who died were individuals who sought refuge in houses.

Gangs have asserted control over significant parts of Port-au-Prince, with the United Nations estimating that up to 60% of the city fell under their influence.

The resulting violence and instability have led to grave human rights violations, including murder, sexual exploitation, and kidnappings.

The security crisis has further disrupted humanitarian efforts, causing hospitals to close and leaving nearly half the population grappling with severe food insecurity.

Haiti Police Recovers Bodies Following Deadly Protest

Haiti Police Chief Frantz Elbé announced on Monday that an operation would be initiated to recover the bodies of the followers of an evangelical minister who organized a fatal protest against a heavily armed gang that holds control over a suburban area of the capital, Reuters noted.

The protest, led by Zidor, also known as Pastor Marco, resulted in a tragic event where at least seven individuals lost their lives due to gunfire from machine guns wielded by gang members.

However, local rights group CARDH reported that the death toll could be higher, with estimates reaching as high as 20.

Investigations are ongoing, and accessibility to the area is currently limited.

Haiti police, facing challenges in combating the country's potent gangs, condemned the protest organized by Pastor Marco, which was attended by several hundred people from the Evangelical Piscine de Bethesda church.

In response to the prevailing violence, numerous Haitians have joined civilian self-defense groups known as "Bwa Kale" to safeguard their communities against the control of violent gangs.

Despite the movement offering hope, it has also led to retaliatory actions against civilians and raised concerns that these groups might inadvertently contribute to the ongoing violence.

Although police efforts were made to halt the protest, the demonstrators managed to circumvent the security measures, as highlighted in a statement by the Haitian National Police.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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