Argentine journalist in critical condition after violent anti-austerity protest

By AFP

An Argentine photojournalist emerged from emergency surgery Thursday that his father said saved his life after suffering a serious head injury while covering clashes between police and anti-austerity protesters in Buenos Aires.

Wednesday's skirmishes resulted in dozens of arrests and at least 45 people injured, including freelancer Pablo Grillo, who was hit in the head with a projectile while taking photos. He fell to the ground, his head bleeding.

Grillo, 35, was taken to hospital to undergo surgery that his father Fabian Grillo said Thursday had "saved his life."

Fabian Grillo, who blames the security forces and government for his son's injury, said another procedure would be performed to assess pressure on the young man's brain.

"Now comes the possible recovery," the father said. "They don't know if it's good or bad."

Police have not said who fired the projectile that injured Grillo.

Football fans, labor unions and social organizations turned out in their hundreds Wednesday to support a weekly march of Argentine pensioners protesting a steep drop in their quality of life in recent years, especially under budget-slashing President Javier Milei.

Columns of riot police on foot, backed by officers on motorbikes, used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon on protesters who threw firecrackers, stun grenades and stones taken from broken-up sidewalks.

Cars and garbage cans were set on fire and several streets barricaded with debris.

Buenos Aires mayor Jorge Macri accused "highly organized violent groups" of creating disturbances and said damage amounted to about $240,000.

The injured included 20 police officers, authorities said.

'Prepared to kill'

In total, 124 people were arrested, of whom 114 were released Thursday by a judge who said the booking details were "imprecise."

Presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni criticized the court's decision, saying: "Those who advocate impunity... are also accomplices."

Security Minister Patricia Bullrich has defended the police response and told the LN+ broadcaster that some among the protesters "came prepared to kill."

About Grillo, she claimed he was a "Kirchnerist activist," referring to a leftist opposition leader.

Milei's chief of staff, Guillermo Francos, on Thursday likened the demonstration to "a sort of coup d'etat" and said the injury to Grillo was an "unforeseen accident."

The Association of Graphic Reporters of Argentina, with which Grillo is associated, condemned the police action, demanding Milei fire Bullrich and her subordinates and have them investigated.

As midnight fell after Wednesday's skirmishes, residents of Buenos Aires expressed their disapproval of Milei's government with a spontaneous pot-banging protest, while hundreds marched on the seat of government from various points of the city, demanding Milei and Bullrich step down.