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US Embassy Shuttered as Thousands in Haiti Protest Trump's "Shithole" Remarks

Demonstrators protested in front of the U.S. Embassy against President Donald Trump's recent disparaging comments about Haiti and African nations, in Tabarre, a district of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018. On Monday night, January 22, demonstrators again marched on the embassy. (Photo: Dieu Nalio Chery/AP)

US Embassy Shuttered as Thousands in Haiti Protest Trump's "Shithole" Remarks

"We are here today to let President Donald Trump know that we declare him persona non grata in Haiti," declared protest leader and human rights attorney Mario Joseph

Stirring enough concern for U.S. officials to shutter the American Embassy in Port-au-Prince, thousands of Haitians marched in their nation's capital on Monday as they denounced President Donald Trump over his recent remarks in which reportedly referred to their country as a "shithole."

"Trump is a vulgar racist, and a racist is a very poor-minded person. We don't feel any resentment against the American people, who we know largely disapprove of Trump's behavior in the White House."
--Marvel Joseph, protester
While police set up barricades and fired rubber bullets at the protesters, the anger among regular Haitians was palpable as they demonstrated in the streets and spoke out against the U.S. president and his policies.

"We are here today to let President Donald Trump know that we declare him persona non grata in Haiti," declared protest leader Mario Joseph, a prominent human rights lawyer and activist in the country.

"Trump is a vulgar racist, and a racist is a very poor-minded person," Marvel Joseph, one participant, told Reuters. "We don't feel any resentment against the American people, who we know largely disapprove of Trump's behavior in the White House."

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