Haiti: Students Rise Up vs. Racist Killer Cops

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI, November 12 — Up to 700 angry students from campuses of the State University of Haiti, up in arms over the racist police killing of Damaël D’Haïti, a young law student two nights ago, took to the streets here today, confronting armed police, some in an armored tank.

Starting at 8:00 AM, several hundred students assembled at the Law School, chanting that the killer cop be brought to justice, and demanding quality education. They marched to all the nearby campuses, gathering more students at each one, effectively shutting down many. At each corner along the route, they burned tires and set up roadblocks. Traffic in the crowded downtown area was paralyzed for much of the day.

After several more campus stops, including a private university next to the Central Police Station, they called on those students to join the march. When they returned to the Law School they were met by a squad car with about six police (PNH). The cops — armed to the teeth — tried to block their way but were vastly outnumbered and were forced to retreat.

The students moved on to the Police Commissioner’s Office, demanding that the killer cop not be moved from that station. (The PNH moves “troublesome” cops around in order to hide and protect them.) Back at the Law School, angrier than ever, the students faced off against six MINUSTAH (UN occupiers of Haiti since 2004 to suppress such actions), squad cars and an armored tank.

When the tank advanced on the students, the cops were met with a hail of stones the students had placed in the streets to block traffic. Then they retreated a few yards. When the tank moved forward, the students responded with more stones, then retreated again.

The battle continued for hours as students moved from school to school. This spontaneous outbreak developed into a more organized display of anguish and class hatred. Numerous students took leadership, many under the leadership of the Progressive Labor Party. Young but seasoned comrades worked side by side with new, emerging leaders. Flyers were produced, decisions were discussed and carried out. Plans were made for mass participation in the teachers’ strike the following day. Students spoke about revolution. A Party study group is in the works.

What provoked this outrage? Saturday night, at a concert at the Law School, the cop, employed by the nearby University Hospital and wearing civilian clothes, entered the campus illegally. (Haiti’s Constitution bars armed police from entering campuses.)

When the concert ended, there was a little ruckus among a few students, which quickly died down. At that point, the cop shot into the crowd, hitting Damaël in the face. He died immediately. (We met with a student who had witnessed the killing.) The cop ran from the school and tried to hide back in the hospital. However, some students followed and caught and held him until cops from a nearby station arrived and took him into custody.

On Sunday, the news spread quickly. Hundreds of students assembled at the Law School to decide on an action. Meanwhile, the Police Commissioner pompously announced that the cop “could not be guilty” because Hospital police don’t carry guns. “What does that prove?” the students countered; the cop carried an illegal gun!

The students decided to mobilize citywide and called for joint action for this morning. Leaflets were readied for distribution at all campuses.

Students in Haiti have a long history of militant fight-back. They have vowed to continue this struggle against racism and for justice for their fallen comrade.

Young black and Latino workers and students worldwide are considered cannon fodder for the bosses’ wars and at the point of racist cops’ guns from Port-au-Prince to New York City and beyond. This struggle is part of an international one against racist police brutality in a decaying capitalist system. It will surely lay the foundation to spoil the bosses’ plans for continued imperialist wars.