Argentina: Police and protesters clash over contested land
October 29, 2020
Police clashed with protesters in Argentina on Thursday while evicting them from their makeshift homes on a contested property south of Buenos Aires, according to authorities.
Most of those being evicted were compliant with instructions from the security forces. However, there were a handful of incidents recorded where some residents responded by throwing stones. Six police officers sustained injuries and at least 30 people were arrested.
Police used tear gas to disperse protesters while officers hauled down some homes and torched others. Many of the abodes were made of wood, cardboard and sheet metal.
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Increasing tensions
Tensions had been increasing in the Buenos Aires area of Guernica, located about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of the capital, after hundreds of families began taking up residence in shacks on the land from the end of July.
In the meantime, the owners of the occupied land went to court to reclaim the property.
Some 600 families subsequently signed an agreement with authorities to leave the land. In return, the squatters would receive building materials and money to help them find residence elsewhere.
jsi/rt (AP, AFP, EFE, dpa)