Buenos Aires, April 24 (FN Agency) Tens of thousands of students and teachers gathered in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, raising slogans and singing the national anthem, armed with books in their hands as they protested against the government’s austerity policies that could affect public universities’ funding in the South American nation. Protesters were on the streets of the capital city on Tuesday to oppose cuts in spending for the development of universities and demanded that President Javier Milei’s government keep education free. The crowds gathered in front of the presidential palace while trying to fit in the square and nearby streets and chose lawns and sidewalks that were not flooded after the rain the day before, Sputnik reported. The presidential palace was surrounded by iron shields, with the police standing in lines behind them. The police’s special equipment was on duty nearby.
The atmosphere outside the palace was calm, with protesters playing music, dancing, and eating hot dogs while frying sausages right on the spot. Nearby streets leading to the palace were closed to traffic. A crowd of protesters moved along them from the Congress building, which is a 15-minute walk away. Other cities across Argentina also witnessed similar protests.An Argentine broadcaster reported, citing the University of Buenos Aires, the largest public university in the capital, that some 500,000 students and teachers took to the square in front of the presidential palace to participate in the protest. Argentine President Javier Milei discredited demonstrators by liking a post on X that read, “This is a political march of thieves, corrupt people, and lazy people,” an Argentine broadcaster reported.