Tens of thousands took to the streets on Wednesday to honor the victims of the 2001 massacre, when police violently cracked down on nationwide protests. This year’s demonstration quickly evolved into a protest against the Milei government’s newly announced austerity policies and an anti-protest security protocol that Security Minister Patricia Bullrich unveiled last week.

“Let them come and tell me who they think they are to impose a security protocol that isn’t in the constitution. Where did they get the idea that we can’t protest? It’s nuts,” said Juvenal Máximo Guzman, a 68-year-old artisan who attended the march alone. “Let them come and kill me. I’d rather them kill me than live under the crap they’re throwing at us.”

“Every government talks about the future. But what about the present? I’ve never been able to live in the present because I’ve always had to fight.”

Protesters congregated in Plaza de Mayo near Bolívar street waving the flags of several leftist organizations, including Movimiento Socialista de los Trabajadores, Nuevo Movimiento al Socialismo and the Polo Obrero, among others. Since the announcement of its security protocol, the Milei government has repeated the line “el que corta no cobra,” that anyone on welfare who protests by blocking roads will not get their benefits. However, many at the plaza were not affiliated with any political group or social organization. 

Despite the threat implicit in the security protocol, violent brushes with the large contingent of security forces were minimal. Multiple security forces, including the Federal Police, National Military Police and City Police, surrounded the plaza in rows, cutting traffic and outnumbering the marchers at several points. 

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At around 4:30 p.m., a journalist slipped, and police struck several bystanders trying to help  them to their feet. In a separate incident close to the march’s starting point in Belgrano, several demonstrators claimed that they were sprayed with tear gas. 

A libertarian who does communication work for the presidency was arrested for attempting to provoke demonstrators.

Closer to Plaza de Mayo, things were calmer, even as emotions were running high. However, once people arrived at the Plaza de Mayo, there were no further incidents — although feelings were running high. Alejandro Cuñarro stood behind the lines of gendarmes with a book prominently featuring Eva Perón on the cover, using it as his “shield.”

“I have all the right in the world to go beyond their lines,” he told the Herald. “I am Argentine. I have the right to circulate freely. I don’t have a criminal record. I am a normal civilian, and I have the right to go where I please. It makes no sense that people are being forbidden and blackmailed to keep them from protesting.”

“That’s why I came,” he continued.“I wanted to show that I’m upset about this arbitrary and absolutely dictatorial decision, without insulting or causing a disturbance.”

On Bolívar street, leaders of the different social movements stood atop a stage constructed for the occasion to read from a shared document.

“They keep talking like there are millions of us when there aren’t,” one protester grumbled after a speaker described the plaza as “packed.”  

By 06:30, the plaza had been cleared.

“I’m surprised that some people who lived through 2001 and the dictatorship have so little memory and voted for this government,” said Julieta Itzcovich, a 21-year-old who went with friends to the march holding a bouquet of purple flowers. “We’re building a new collective memory with those who are here, knowing that the context is different.” 

“I brought flowers to reflect that no matter the violence they want to make us face, be it austerity or firearms, we’re here with non-violence,” said Itzcovich. “We don’t want anything other than our right to live in peace.”

There are marches every December 20 to commemorate 39 people killed in the 2001 massacre during police crackdowns on nationwide protests against Fernando de la Rúa’s government. He ultimately resigned and famously left on a helicopter from the roof of the Casa Rosada.