Say no to bloqueos

10.28.2003

The surreal happened today. Students from the UPEA (Public Univeristy of El Alto) marched down the Prado today, protesting whatever it is they're protesting. To be honest, no one seems to understand. It seems they're unhappy w/ who their rector (university president) is and want the government to do something about it. They've been protesting for weeks, and jumped on the "el gas no se vende!" bandwagon.

So today, they're marching. Carrying their banners. Shouting their slogans. It's a common noon on the Prado, some group marching to protest or demand something.

But the people on the Prado don't just ignore them. They start whistling (a derrogatory sign) and yelling things like "why don't you go study?!" and other worse epithets. After more than three weeks of protests, which shut down the city, caused almost 100 dead, and overthrew a government, Paceños have finally had it.

And why not? Sometimes it's just ridiculous. Students from another university (UMSA) marched for a week because they wanted another faculty member hired. These things are worthy of massive demonstrations that shut down the city center for hours?

So the students from the UPEA keep marching down the street. And this is when the unimaginable happens ...

One by one, people leave the sidewalk and stand in the street. Blocking the protesters. "Get on the sidewalk!" people yell to the protesters. More whistling, more derrogatory shouts. "We're tired of your nonesense!" someone yells.

The students keep trying to march. And, suddenly, the crowd starts grabing protest signs and banners, tearing them up and tossing them on the ground. There's a few scuffles. And the UPEA march gets turned out. On its ear. They didn't get past Plaza Venezuela. I don't think that's ever happend before.

Posted by Miguel at 12:38 PM

Comments

An anti-protesting protest? That is cool. Not that I do not believe that people should have the right to protest, but don't close off traffic and try to close shops and make me agree to something I don't agree with. The rights of those who do not want to protest need to be listened to as well.

Posted by: sam at October 28, 2003 05:06 PM

That's hilarious. Serves them right.

Did you know abt the incident from the news or were you at the scene?

Posted by: steph at October 28, 2003 09:34 PM

Nunca escuche algo semejante, fue un grupo organizado?, o fue algo espontaneo? de cualquier manera es algo interesante, hubo alguna confrontacion?

Posted by: Daniel Centellas at October 29, 2003 11:17 AM

Si, che, yo tampoco conocia nada igual. Era totalmente spontaneo, y si hubo unas confrontaciones. Despues, en Telepais, hicieron unas entrevistas. Parece que varias personas (de diferentes clases) dijeron q'estaban hartados de todos los bloqueos, y que ya no lo permitiran mas. Bien hecho, ¿no?

Posted by: miguel at October 29, 2003 11:25 AM