Stones, smoke, and chants echo through the plaza outside Argentina’s Congress as demonstrators clash with police during a rally against President Javier Milei’s labor reforms.
Mass Rally Turns Tense
Thousands of workers, students, and union members converge on Buenos Aires streets, waving banners and voicing opposition to the reform package. Participants decry measures that simplify employee dismissals, reduce severance payments, and restrict strike rights, chanting against worker austerity amid drumbeats and megaphone speeches.
Escalation to Violence
Tensions peak when a group of protesters breaches metal barricades and advances toward riot police. Projectiles including stones, bottles, and makeshift incendiary devices fly toward officers, who retaliate with tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons. Thick smoke blankets the square as demonstrators seek cover or rally behind improvised shields. Sirens blare, laser pointers target police vehicles, and the crack of crowd-control munitions mixes with persistent chants from the march’s edges.
Intense skirmishes feature a Molotov cocktail detonating near officers and shield lines pushing forward, with protesters returning defiantly despite the gas.
Debate Continues Inside Congress
Senators advance discussions on the bill amid the external unrest. Proponents maintain the changes deregulate rigid labor laws to attract investment and create jobs. Critics argue the reforms erode collective bargaining power and exacerbate inequality, highlighting a stark divide in visions for Argentina’s economic path.
