Port-au-Prince, February 9 (RHC)-- In Haiti, police killed five environmental protection agents Wednesday amid escalating protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry and an end to gang violence. 

Haitian police claimed the environmental agents opened fire first.  Clashes were also reported throughout the capital Port-au-Prince, with police firing tear gas and live bullets at protesters.

One organizer of the protests, Cyrthil Marcelin, told reporters in Port-au-Prince: “We have no set course. We are on the streets until we succeed in uprooting these gangs at the head of state.”

U.S.-backed Prime Minister Henry became the de facto ruler following the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. 

According to a 2022 agreement, Henry was supposed to hold elections and hand over power to the winner this week.  But the elections were not held as planned, as Henry claimed he would schedule them only after the country’s security situation improves.