Fights Break Out at Haiti Party as Children Await Aristide
Fights broke out among 1,500 children waiting for refreshments at a Christmas Day party thrown by Jean-Bertrand Aristide at the Presidential Palace.
The children grew restless as they waited for the president, who was scheduled to greet them at 3 p.m. but didn’t emerge from the palace until 6.
Aristide appeared at the top of the palace steps and spoke briefly using a microphone before returning inside.
A band played Haitian Christmas music and Prime Minister Smarck Michel and others handed out candy, cake, snow cones and fruit-juice packets.
That prompted a melee. The children grabbed the snacks and fought over pieces of ice.
Thousands of other hungry youngsters and adults who had gathered outside the palace gates began screaming. As U.S. troops stood guard, Michel handed snacks through the bars to hundreds of grasping hands.
After the frenzy, adult chaperons tried to regroup children in the dark, aided by U.S. Army floodlights.
Officials gave no explanation for Aristide’s delay.
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