Violent Confrontation in Buenos Aires

As the sun set on the southern edge of the city of Buenos Aires, the spectacular glow of the red horizon left behind the horrifying obscurity of violence, death, and desperate voices searching for answers.

The confrontation began as hundreds of neighbors from Barrio Villa Soldati gathered to protest the lack of government intervention in the immigration problem. Stopping the traffic on major avenues around the entrance to the Indioamerican Park, most the the neighbors voiced strong opposition to the presence of immigrant families of mostly Bolivan descent setting up encampments upon local public park grounds.

The focus of the anger quickly changed directions as a mob of protesters marched towards the immigrants encamped within the center of the park. Showers of rocks, and the sounds of gunshots could be heard as a confrontation of angry neighbors against the immigrant encampments mixed with other neighbors from the poorer slums supporting the immigrants.

As the night fell upon the park grounds, several men left screaming holding the body of one boy 19 years old who was killed by a bullet as others suffered serious injuries. Ambulances leaving the scene were even hit with bullets from Villa Soldati neighbors within the park. Neighbors still remained within the vacated area, and very few police presence was reported.

The confrontation began Friday, December 10th when angry neighbors from Villa Soldati, Buenos Aires began to take to the streets to voice their opposition to the make shift campgrounds established by various immigrant families on the public Indioamerican Park grounds. The first confrontation ended with three deaths, and infuriated people on both sides of the issue.

Politicians reacted to the city disturbance with arguments about whether the City Police operated by the Mayor of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri should take charge, or whether the Federal Police or Military governed by President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner should intervene. In either case, both sides seemed to questionably look at each other for a possible solution to the serious problem.

It is unsure whether the neighbors themselves were responsible for the shooting. Camera's caught Julio Cappella a hooligan from Argentina's United Fans organization as a potential suspect in one of the shooting deaths. It is not confirmed but questions linger over whether some other hooligans may have taken a part in the violence. Argentina's soccer hooligans are often seen as an organized mob like entity.