Leftist protesters attack British banks in Buenos Aires
- 12 years ago
Their faces concealed by scarves, a group of about 60 leftist activists armed with wooden batons, gathered outside of British banks in Buenos Aires with one very clear demand ---- return the Falkland Islands to Argentina.
They underscored their message to London by hurling paint bombs and rocks at HSBC bank's entrance.
Tension over the islands between Britain and Argentina is rising as the 30th anniversary of the war nears and as British companies drill for oil near by.
Compounding matters, for many of the Bolivarian Quebracho group, is Prince William's arrival. A Royal Air Forces sea and rescue helicopter pilot, the prince is expected to spend several weeks there on a tour of duty.
Fernando Esteche is the leader of the Quebracho Group.
SOUNDBITE: LEADER OF LEFTIST QUEBRACHO GROUP, FERNANDO ESTECHE, SAYING (Spanish):
"At this time the Pirate Prince [in reference to Britain's Prince William] is already in Argentina, when we say Argentina, we mean the Malvinas Islands. On one side it is an aggression, a very sad day which hurts a lot, and an escalation in the provocations the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain has been doing in terms of the Argentina's and Latin America's claims over the Malvinas."
Britain refuses to negotiate with Argentina over its claim of sovereignty to the islands, which are called Las Malvinas in Spanish.
Deborah Gembara, Reuters.
They underscored their message to London by hurling paint bombs and rocks at HSBC bank's entrance.
Tension over the islands between Britain and Argentina is rising as the 30th anniversary of the war nears and as British companies drill for oil near by.
Compounding matters, for many of the Bolivarian Quebracho group, is Prince William's arrival. A Royal Air Forces sea and rescue helicopter pilot, the prince is expected to spend several weeks there on a tour of duty.
Fernando Esteche is the leader of the Quebracho Group.
SOUNDBITE: LEADER OF LEFTIST QUEBRACHO GROUP, FERNANDO ESTECHE, SAYING (Spanish):
"At this time the Pirate Prince [in reference to Britain's Prince William] is already in Argentina, when we say Argentina, we mean the Malvinas Islands. On one side it is an aggression, a very sad day which hurts a lot, and an escalation in the provocations the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain has been doing in terms of the Argentina's and Latin America's claims over the Malvinas."
Britain refuses to negotiate with Argentina over its claim of sovereignty to the islands, which are called Las Malvinas in Spanish.
Deborah Gembara, Reuters.