26th July 2016
Well, maybe I spoke too soon, because when I decided to go out for a bit of a walk around the block before dark this evening what did I meet when I got to the top of the road but a road block. The police seemed to be out in force for some reason and it looked like it was serious business. They were all in black with guns to the ready and black balaclavas covering their faces. It was a little bit frightening alright as I had no idea what was going on.
Police in Port-au-Prince
Photo: courtesy of www.wikipedia.org
I decided to walk in the opposite direction and keep out of the way. But in order to do that I had to walk through the crowd that had gathered to watch what was going on. I spoke to no one but kept walking in the opposite direction, not knowing what I might meet further down the street, after all, what I had encountered might only be the tip of some iceberg. Being a stranger in the area I had no idea how to gauge what was actually taking place. I continued walking in the general direction I had intended and hoped things might have panned out by the time I got back to the junction to my street.
There were quite a few people all along this street, but that could be normal for the time of day, I didn’t know whether it was or not as I had never walked there at that time before. At the next junction I met a busier road and everything seemed quite normal in that it seemed like rush hour traffic was simply making its way home after a day’s work.
I continued my short walk and made my way home earlier than intended thinking to myself, well what a great journalist you’re turning out to be! The first sign of activity and you head in the opposite direction!
When I arrived at the top of my road, there was still a little activity but no sign of the police! I made my way home, on the one hand wishing I knew what exactly had happened and on the other hand, glad I was back safe and sound in this city.