Riots in Punta del Este: stones and bottles on the police, who fired rubber bullets

Punta del Este suffers from the notorious absence of Argentines due to the border closures ordered by the government of Luis Lacalle Pou, but local tourists manage to enjoy the summer and the Uruguayan coast beyond the pandemic . However, at night the crowds of young people on the promenade, without social distancing or chinstrap, become more and more of a problem amid official concern over the growing increase in coronavirus cases, forcing the government to enter the city. “red zone” last Friday.

This weekend, things went from light to black. The municipality of Maldonado reported serious incidents on the boulevard which ended with blunt objects being thrown at police when officers attempted to disperse one of 39 “crowds” detected by security forces on Saturday evening. The police had to fire rubber bullets to disperse dozens of young people who had gathered there without respecting any preventive measures.

// The phantom of Punta del Este suffers with no Argentines in sight

The official report reported that on Saturday “39 settlements were found along the promenadeOne with riots where it was necessary to intervene with the presence of the police because they did not respect the recommendations for distancing and the use of face masks recommended by CECOED ”, the Departmental Emergency Coordination Center.

“The response was the attack on the mobiles which came on site with bottles, insults and stones, for which bullets of non-lethal ammunition had to be fired to restore order“Said the mayor.

Police repression has led to the dissolution of the young people gathered in the rambla, a five-kilometer coastal promenade that borders the Río de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean.

“The concentration of people – continued the quartermaster’s report – had been warned of the CCTV Center with their 1200 cameras displayed throughout the department ”.

During the riots, “a drunken person was arrested who did not want to comply with the preventive measures” ordered by the authorities.

// The port of Punta del Este has been invaded by thousands of rather toxic whitewater

According to the newspaper El Observador, “those responsible for the operation (police, firefighters, prefecture and environmental management) identified a clandestine part on the beach of Posta del Cangreso (La Barra), in which 200 people participated” .

Non-lethal ammunition had to be fired to restore order

Official measures

The municipality reported that “in total, on the night of this Saturday, only along Playa Mansa 39 times intervened in which the crowds were quickly dispersed”.

“To avoid” this type of spontaneous meetings, “of the direction of the environmental management of the municipality it was resolved seal the roundabout, one of the biggest symbols of the city and an almost obligatory meeting place for young people, as well as Pastora Pier, in Playa Mansa.

// What will be the famous without Punta del Este

Friday night was much quieter. The rains avoided the street crowds. “The interventions were virtually nil, despite the completion of operations, due to the rains recorded in the area. There were a few caveats for annoying noises and few audiences in the streets, ”the municipality reported.

And he added: “Only small concentrations of those who sought refuge from the temporary downpours were observed and they were told to keep their distance.”