Collage of photos of three unidentified young men, said to be belong to gangs, captured by crowds during the bwa kale vigilante actions around Haiti during late April and early May 2023 in Haiti. Images of the trio are blurred because the information about them could not be independently verified. Illustration by The Haitian Times
Collage of photos of three unidentified young men, said to be belong to gangs, captured by crowds during the bwa kale vigilante actions around Haiti during late April and early May 2023 in Haiti. Images of the trio are blurred because the information about them could not be independently verified. Illustration by The Haitian Times

PORT-AU-PRINCE — The recent killing of 14 suspected bandits by residents of Canapé-Vert has apparently emboldened residents around the country to turn the tables against gangs, with help from some officers of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), in a vigilante movement being called "Bwa Kale."

"We will defend ourselves, we have our own weapons, machetes," said a resident of Canapé-Vert to the press, motivated to protect his neighborhood.

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I am Juhakenson Blaise, a journalist based in the city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I cover the news that develops in this city and deals with other subjects related to the experience of Haitians for the Haitian Times newspaper. I am also a lover of poetry.