Violence in ‘Carnival of Flowers’ in Haiti, 183 hurt

Port-Au-Prince (Haiti): A summer Carnival-like celebration in Haiti has turned violent. Haitian police spokesman Gary Desrosiers says 183 people were injured in street fights on the first day of the "Carnival of Flowers." One man also died when he fell off a float. Haitian President Michel Martelly revived the "Carnival of Flowers" last year so the capital of Port-au-Prince could have its own Carnival-like party. His administration has moved February`s Carnival fete to cities outside the capital in the hopes of developing the countryside. The "Carnival of Flowers" began Sunday and drew tens of thousands of revelers to downtown Port-au-Prince. Many people painted their faces bright colors and wore flowing costumes as they marched through the streets. The final day of the festival is today. PTI