Tuesday, March 29, the third day of protest in Les Cayes, thousands of cayens took to the streets to demonstrate against insecurity, kidnappings and the control of Martissant (southern entrance to the capital) by gangs, but also against the rise rows of airfares for local flights, demanding the departure of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Very upset, the demonstrators who were heading towards the regional airport Antoine Simon airport to assert their claims came up against the police forbidding them access to the airport. Throwing stones and bottles against tear gas grenades and rubber bullets, the demonstrators and the police clashed before warning shots managed to disperse the demonstrators...

Taking advantage of the panic and confusion, several unidentified individuals burst onto the runway at Antoine Simon airport then vandalized before burning a small 8-seater "Piper Navajo Chieftain" plane, registered N600AB, belonging to the American group "Agape Flights" based in Venice (Florida) which has been transporting freight, mail and humanitarian aid to missionary families throughout Haiti every week for more than 40 years.

At the end of the day, in response to the incident at Les Cayes airport, national and charter airlines temporarily suspended their local flights in Haiti. Philippe Bayard, CEO of Sunrise Airways, told the Miami Herald that for the moment, only flights to Les Cayes have been canceled, stating "We have stopped the flights and we will see what type of security they will put in place at airport because we cannot endanger the people who work with us, the passengers or the plane."

The provisional assessment of this demonstration which was intended to be peaceful is heavy :

According to information compiled from the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of First Instance of Les Cayes, Pierre Yves Lesage Spokesperson of the National Police of Southern Haiti and several journalists and witnesses :

4 police officers were injured, victims of stone throwing and hospitalized at the OFATMA hospital in Les Cayes;

3 individuals were slightly injured by bullets (shootings of undetermined origins), treated at the Immaculate Conception Hospital in Les Cayes (HIC), they have already returned home according to the Director of the hospital;

1 dead, Claude Ac, originally from Maniche according to the legal report drawn up by the additional judge of the Peace of Les Cayes Me Pierre Richard Ligonde;

At least a dozen demonstrators injured;

4 PNH vehicles damaged;

The Antoine Simon airport control tower was damaged and equipment was taken away by unknown persons;

Part of the fence protecting the airport was damaged;

Part of the airport runway surface was affected by fire

An aircraft belonging to AGAPE Flight type Pa-31 registered N600AB was destroyed by fire.

Reacting to these acts, the Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henry declared "I strongly condemn the violence by demonstrators which led to the burning of a plane at Les Cayes airport. I have instructed the public authorities to put public action in motion against the perpetrators of these subversive acts so that they are severely punished."

SL/ HaitiLibre