Jean's speech coincided with the first anniversary of the transitional government, which has faced instability and a lack of cohesion among its political supporters.

A U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police is in Haiti to assist with gang violence, but it remains severely understaffed and underfunded, operating at only 40% of the intended personnel.

In response to the violence, Jean announced plans for a special budget and the involvement of agents from the armed environmental group BSAP, although specific details were not provided.

On April 2, 2025, thousands protested in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, against escalating gang violence, leading to clashes with police and gunfire.

Despite promises from Haiti's transitional presidential council leader, Fritz Alphonse Jean, many residents, including street vendors, expressed skepticism about the government's ability to improve security amid ongoing violence.

Gang violence has left more than 60,000 people homeless in just one month, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration.

This protest marks the first significant challenge to Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé's administration since his appointment in November 2024.

Jean called on Haitians to assist law enforcement and resist gang recruitment, particularly of children, invoking Haiti's history as the first free Black republic.

Protesters expressed frustration with the government's inability to control gang violence, with one declaring, 'We have nowhere to go. We say no – that is enough!'

Protesters chanted demands to oust government officials, particularly targeting the prime minister's office and the transitional presidential council.

Jean framed Haiti's gang crisis as part of a broader transnational crime issue, possibly seeking international support for enhanced security assistance.

UN official Grégoire Goodstein noted the unprecedented scale of displacement caused by gang violence in such a short period.