Riots continue in Argentina amid summit of Americas
5/11/2005 11:08
Riots and violent clashes between police and demonstrators were continuing
in the Argentine beach city of Mar del Plata and the capital Buenos Aires on
Friday.
Dozens of people, including Mayor Daniel Katz of Mar del Plata and
several policemen, were wounded in the clashes which began soon after the fourth
Summit of the Americas began in the city, about 400 km south of Buenos
Aires.
More than 65 people have been arrested in Mar del Plata, well-informed
sources told Xinhua.
Heavily armed police fired tear gas to drive away
demonstrators who gathered near the venue of the summit since Friday morning to
protest against US foreign and trade policy, and the US-led war on Iraq.
Some
40,000 people joined the organized demonstrations. The angry demonstrators threw
stones at police, set American national flags on fire, and attacked banks and
stores nearby.
While the riots and violence in Mar del Plata were yet to be
put under control, hundreds of protesters took to the street in downtown Buenos
Aires.
Several stores and commercial institutions were set ablaze and
seriously damaged.
Police detained a number of demonstrators to prevent the
situation from swirling out of control.
No death was reported so far.
US
President George W. Bush, who arrived in Mar Del Plata , Argentina Thursday
night, was attending the two-day summit which will be focusing on topics like
free trade and fighting poverty.
The Argentine authorities have mobilized
some 35,000 policeman and government troops to guard against any possible terror
attack.
Xinhua
|
