Protesters clash with police after six-year-old killed in illegal drag race

A new battleground opened up this week in strife-ridden Buenos Aires Province – to squatters and mutinous policemen were added serious incidents on Monday between demonstrators and police trading stones and rubber bullets respectively.

The demonstrators were demanding justice for the death of a six-year old child in an illegal weekend drag race Gregorio de Laferrere, in the La Matanza neighbourhood, cutting both Route 21 and the Belgrano Sur railway line to press their point. The police monitored the situation without intervening until around 9pm on Monday evening when the demonstrators began throwing stones at uniformed officers a pitched battle broke out. 

Two youths were arrested as the drag race participants most responsible for the death of six-year-old Taiel Contreras, who was run over while awaiting a green light to cross the road in order to buy ice cream. His parents were also injured though not fatally. Father Luciano Contreras suffered broken legs and mother Noelia Díaz suffered serious injuries from the collision.

The accident was caused by two of the cars in the drag race colliding with one of them running into the family waiting on the pavement.

The youths face simple homicide charges which could land them in prison for the next eight to 25 years.

– TIMES