Chaos outside Congress as anti-omnibus protest turns violent (watching Argentina)
Argentina Times ^ | 6/14/24
Posted on 6/14/2024, 5:50:08 AM by EBH
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4244238/posts
Hundreds of security forces fired tear gas and water cannons at rioting demonstrators outside the National Congress building in Buenos Aires on Wednesday as protesters called on senators to reject President Javier Milei’s sweeping reform plan.
Demonstrators who were protesting against the proposed reforms, which are being debated by lawmakers in the lower house, were dealt with aggressively by riot police and Border Guard officers.
As the protest turned ugly, two cars were set alight by what appeared to be protesters.
Police later said that at least 18 people, 16 men and two women, had been arrested amid the disturbances. At least three police officers were injured.
“Among those arrested is a 41-year-old man who was in possession of a grenade which is being analysed by specialised personnel. A woman was also arrested for being responsible for setting fire to government bicycles,” said the City Police.
Scuffles first broke out when those rallying tried to bypass a system of fences set up between them and Congress. Demonstrators lobbed stones at officers who pepper-sprayed them in response.
Observers and opposition MPs said dozens of demonstrators and a small group of lawmakers received medical attention. Journalists were also reported to have been injured.
In a fiercely worded statement, Milei’s Office slammed the “terrorist groups” behind the violence and accused protesters of seeking to carry out a “coup d’état.”
“The Office of the President congratulates the Security Forces for their excellent actions in repressing the terrorist groups that with sticks, stones and even grenades, attempted to perpetrate a coup d’état, attacking the normal functioning of the Congress,” read a brief statement released on social media.
Their leftist protesters are no different than ours.