Argentine city hunkers down for anti-Bush violence

[NNN0LHI]

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-11-03T175435Z_01_SIB256005_RTRUKOC_0_US-LATAM-SUMMIT.xml



MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina (Reuters) - Shopkeepers raced to board up storefronts and residents fled this Argentine seaside resort on Thursday as thousands of protesters prepared marches against U.S. President George W. Bush during an Americas-wide presidential summit.

Bush was scheduled to arrive late Thursday for a two-day Summit of the Americas in a country where anti-Bush sentiment runs high due to the war in Iraq and U.S.-backed, free-market policies that Argentines say pushed millions of their compatriots into poverty.

"People see all the iron barricades and police on every corner and they get scared," said construction worker Hernan Brito, who received five last-minute requests to board up store windows from merchants who he said also fear looting.

U.S. interests like Blockbuster video stores and Citibank branches were covered with corrugated metal shields ahead of protest marches early Friday.

More than 7,500 police officers erected a security ring around the summit hotels and patrolled the streets and beaches of this normally bustling city of 600,000, which looked more like a ghost town. Coast guard boats and helicopters trolled the shore, while air space was restricted.

[goclark]

1. Good, welcome to South America Chimp! nt

[Horse with no Name]

2. What????

He expected them to throw flowers and candy?:shrug:

[realisticphish]

6. they will!

just like the iraqis did! oh, wait

[Bob3]

3. Ghost town, thousands of police, helicopters patrol the skies

security ring, barbed wire, police on every corner, iron barricades, people afraid.

This what it has come to mean when the presumed leader of the free world comes to visit? That * has given massive protection where ever he goes? Doesn't anybody see how insane this is? Nixon didn't need this kind of protection, hell neither did Reagan. But the boy king does.

Well it proves among other things, that the ape is a physical coward.

[ananda]

4. Argentina city hunkers down for anti-Bush violence!

Whoa! Protest for me, Argentina!

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-11-03T175435Z_01_SIB256005_RTRUKOC_0_US-LATAM-SUMMIT.xml

[pocket]

5. too bad there's gun control there

the one time I don't support it

[SoCalDem]

8. How sad is it when half of the only super power county has to beg

another country to protest OUR president?.. They would happily do it on their own, since they also hate the bastard, but in the land of Free Speech and Freedom to assemble, the only way the media covers it in a meanigful way, is when he's protested in a foreign country..

[enid602]

7. MdP

Just went to Mar Del (as it's called) in September on vacation. November is the start of their high season. It would normally balloon up from its 600K year-round visitors up to the millions.