Argentine police evict protesters occupying contested land

GUERNICA, Argentina (AP) — Argentine police clashed with a group of protesters on Thursday while evicting them from makeshift homes on a contested property south of the capital, Buenos Aires. Six police officers were injured and at least 30 people were arrested, according to authorities.

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Police destroy shack homes as they carry out the eviction of a squatters camp in Guernica, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. A court ordered the eviction of families who are squatting here since July, but the families say they have nowhere to go amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)






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Women are detained by police carrying out evictions at a squatters camp in Guernica, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. A court ordered the eviction of families who are squatting here since July, but the families say they have nowhere to go amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Hundreds of families had been living in shacks on the land in the town of Guernica for more than three months, in a reflection of the growing poverty and lack of housing for many people in Argentina. The pandemic and lockdowns aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19 have aggravated the country’s economic problems.

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Police destroy a shack home as they carry out evictions at a squatters camp in Guernica, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. A court ordered the eviction of families who are squatting here since July, but the families say they have nowhere to go amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

The owners of the occupied land in Guernica had gone to court to reclaim the property.

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A police officer aims his weapon, as security forces fire tear gas and rubber bullets, during clashes with people after police broke up a squatters camp and evicted people living there in Guernica, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. A court ordered the eviction of families who are squatting here since July, but the families say they have nowhere to go amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Many people left peacefully when security forces entered the property early Thursday after negotiations between authorities and the occupants failed. Some resisted, throwing stones at police.

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A family with their pet dog stands with their belongings after their shack home was destroyed by police carrying out the eviction of a squatters camp in Guernica, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. A court ordered the eviction of families who are squatting here since July, but the families say they have nowhere to go amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Police then demolished the homes, some of which were made of wood, cardboard and sheet metal.

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A police officer peers into a shack home as security forces evict people from a squatters camp in Guernica, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. A court ordered the eviction of families who are squatting here since July, but the families say they have nowhere to go amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Some 600 families had previously signed an agreement with authorities to leave the property. In return, they received building materials and money to pay rent.