Thousands of protesters march in Haiti against gang violence

FILE PHOTO: Officers of the Haitian National Police help a woman affected by tear gas after the police cleared a camp of people escaping the threat of armed gangs, in front of the U.S. Embassy, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti July 25, 2023. REUTERS/Ralph Tedy Erol/File Photo

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Tensions escalated in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince on Monday, as thousands of protesters took to the streets to speak out against the country's devastating gang violence, which resulted last week in the death of a police officer.

Government vehicles were set on fire, as protesters - many masked - squared off against police, demanding protection and aid. Authorities later used tear gas to disperse them, eyewitnesses said.