By MICHAEL NORTON, Associated Press Writer

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Police fired tear gas and warning shots at thousands of university students who spilled into the streets Thursday in the latest protest aimed at ousting President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Chanting anti-Aristide slogans, students approached the National Palace but were rebuffed by police who fired tear gas and warning shots.

"Aristide has mismanaged the country," said Pierre Joseph, a 22-year-old student from the University of Haiti. "Every sector of the country is suffering and saying we've had enough!"

The demonstration came a day after Haiti's education minister resigned, saying she was "horrified" over Aristide partisans attacking students at a demonstration last week.

The government, however, said Marie-Carmel Paule Austin was about to get fired. Austin could not be reached immediately for comment Thursday.

"She took advantage of the situation," said Mario Dupuy, a government spokesman. "She knew she was going to be replaced because she is under investigation for misappropriation of funds."

Student demonstrations have played an important role in Haiti, helping end the regimes of President Elie Lescot in 1946, dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier in 1986 and dictator Prosper Avril in 1990.

As tensions rise in the impoverished nation, anti-government demonstrations have intensified with the opposition blaming Aristide for Haiti's deteriorating political and economic situation.

More than 24 people were injured in violence that broke out at the university's Human Sciences College last Friday, when dozens of government supporters attacked about 100 students calling for Aristide's resignation.

Aristide supporters ransacked both the Human Sciences College and the nearby Public Administration Institute, which belong to the State University of Haiti, and set fire to a nearby house.

University Rector Pierre-Marie Pacquiot was hospitalized after Aristide partisans allegedly severed the tendons of both his knees when they beat his legs with iron bars.

At least six people were shot, including one Aristide supporter and five students. About 15,000 students are enrolled at the university.

Government critics accuse the police of complicity in the violence because they didn't disperse the Aristide partisans.

Aristide's administration has been locked in a stalemate with the opposition since flawed 2000 legislative elections that the opposition charged were rigged. Since mid-September, clashes during anti-government protests across the nation have killed at least 16 people and wounded scores more.

The opposition refuses to participate in new elections unless Aristide steps down. The embattled leader, however, says he will serve out his term, which ends in 2006.

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"The opposition refuses to participate in new elections unless Aristide steps down. The embattled leader, however, says he will serve out his term, which ends in 2006. "

why do they refuse to take part in elections if Aristide doesn't step down? Are they afraid that New elections will keep Aristide? ( flawed elections or Non-flawed)

what names would be on the ballet?

well it's about time people start seing this man is evil, Aristid use is evil power to control the uneducated ones in haiti .Those students have their eyes wide open and realize this man he's a liar he keep on promissing and can't deliver . Aristid turn Haiti upside down just because the man loves power so much he is the opposite of the truth they need to put "pere lebrun " on Aristid for being so evil they only people who support Aristid are they uneducated one meaning the "chimeres"or those people from "cite soleil"wich is that where Aristid came from that ugly ass man who we really thought who was going to change our country and didn't realize that man was selfish only thinking for himself don't care about country or people he fooled everybody i watched my friend killed for this man today who become a thug himself with millions of dollars in the bank a drug dealer so he can support his "chimeres "yes Aristid had fooled me there's no hope for haiti anymore only jesus can save Haiti now let we all wait for jesus now because before Aristid there was none and after Aristid there would be none and Aristid himsef his "sh*t".

QUI SOMMES NOUS LES PEUPLES HAITIEN .MAINTENANT NOUS SOMMES RENDUS EN DE L"OURVETURE QUI COMBATRES POUR NOUS ,POUR NOTRE FIETER , ET NOTRE LLIBERATION NOIRE . POUR QOUI, ONT POURAIENT FETES TOUS ENSEMBLE.

 f**k,f**k,f**k,GET MANMAN THE MINORITY CLASS IN HAITI,FOR THE PAST 200 HAVING THE COUNTRY'S WEALTH UNDER THEIR HANDS.f**k THE MULATOS.

THEY FINANCE THE STUDENTS TO SAY ABA.

THOSE ARE f**kING ANDY APAID(MULATO) ECT.

Unfortunately we have the tendancy to blame the wealthy minority for a problem that is not even theirs.  We haitian have been very selfish and always look for somebody to take the blame. 

The problem is us, our system of government, the lack of infrastructure and the corruption right inside our system of government.  I'll bet u i'll take any haitian liveing abroad, give that person a key position in our government and after the first month, start stealing like every other public employee in haiti.

It's time  for us to realize that the problem is withn us the haitian people.  We got to stop being selfish, stop stealing our own money and work toward a better future.  It's not a government or a president problem but us the people.  Let's take a look back 20 years ago, we were beter off then.