Supporters of the government of Argentine President Alberto Fernández stepped on stones left in honor of Covid-19 victims to remove posters with messages critical of the country’s pandemic management, during a march on Sunday (17).
Thousands of Argentines gathered for the march to commemorate “Peronist Loyalty Day” at Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires. At the site is a memorial to the victims of the pandemic, formed by stones on which the names of people who died from Covid-19 are engraved, as well as photographs of the victims left by family members and posters with messages critical of the Fernández government for managing the pandemic.
According to local media, many people approached with respect to observe the memorial during the day of protests. However, videos and photos shared on social networks show militants from the Frente de Todos, the governing slate, climbing the monument to tear down posters questioning the government about measures taken during the pandemic, confinements or the delay in buying vaccines. Some of them also vandalized the memorial and removed portraits of victims.
To reach the posters, the protesters stepped on the stones where the names of the victims are engraved.
A member of the movements that organized the two “Marchas das Pedras”, held in August and September, said to the newspaper La Nación that attacks on the memorial began in the afternoon after the arrival of Justicialista Party protesters. According to her, protesters threatened to remove the stones from the site during the night.
The actions caused outrage and were condemned on social media by several opposition politicians and ordinary citizens.
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