Haiti’s Culture Ministry fires workers over citadel stampede that killed 25

play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedOpinionSportVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftTrendingUS-Israeli war on IranTracking Israel's ceasefire violationsRussia-Ukraine warDonald Trumpcaret-rightNews|GovernmentHaiti’s Culture Ministry fires workers over citadel stampede that killed 25At least nine people have been arrested following the stampede, including police officers and ministry employees. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoRelatives hug after a deadly stampede in Milot, Haiti, claimed 25 lives [Ketlain Difficile/AP Photo]By Al Jazeera Staff and The Associated PressPublished On 15 Apr 202615 Apr 2026Haiti has begun three days of national mourning, following a deadly stampede at the Citadelle Laferriere in the northern part of the country. At least 25 people were killed in the crush that formed at the entrance of the popular tourist site on Saturday, with some visitors pressing to exit while others pushed to enter. On Tuesday, Ministry of Culture and Communication announced that two government officials were fired in the aftermath of the stampede. One, a director with the Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage, was accused of “serious negligence”. The other, who served in the Ministry of Culture and Communication, was criticised for “biased passivity”. “The Ministry of Culture and Communication, without going into the details of the criminal investigation, believes that the tragedy at La Citadelle is the result of administrative negligence,” it said in a statement. The government, it added, “will fully assume its responsibilities”, as the event “must outrage the public conscience”. The tragedy marks one of several crises the Haitian government is facing, as it approaches its first round of general elections later this year. Already, nine suspects have been arrested in connection to the deadly stampede, including five police officers and two employees from the Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage. The crush of people took place as a local DJ held an event at the citadel, a 19th-century fortress commissioned after the Haitian Revolution, when Haiti’s enslaved population overthrew French colonial rule. Since its construction, the citadel has become a symbol of Haitian sovereignty. But the stampede on Saturday was exacerbated by stormy weather conditions, as rain pummelled northern Haiti and participants at the event ran for cover. Elsewhere in the country, approximately 12 people have died because of the heavy downpours, and at least 900 homes and one hospital have been flooded. The Haitian government has also been grappling with the threat of gang violence, particularly since the assassination of then-President Jovenel Moise in 2021. His death left a power vacuum in Haiti’s government that criminal networks have sought to exploit. Federal elections have been repeatedly postponed for much of the last decade. Earlier this month, a United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force began to arrive in the country to help address the violence. From March 2025 through mid-January of this year, the UN has counted at least 5,519 gang-related deaths in Haiti. Roughly 16,000 have been killed since 2022, and more than 1.5 million people have been displaced. But on Tuesday, authorities called for more aid as the violence continued. In the Marigot commune, seven people were killed and a police station was burned in an overnight gang attack. Marigot Mayor Rene Danneau described the victims as informants who helped the police. He called on Haiti’s government to step in. “We are asking the prime minister to take all necessary measures,” he told Radiotelevision Caraibes. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: