During the weekend, the Peruvian police cracked down on citizens who were demanding the resignation of President Dina Boluarte, the closure of the Congress, the call for early elections, the establishment of a Constituent Assembly, and the release of former President Pedro Castillo.
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On Friday and Saturday, both national and international journalists were covering the massive protests that took place on the days when Peruvians celebrate the anniversary of their independence from the Spanish empire.
As a result of the indiscriminate use of force, the police affected dozens of citizens and the journalists who were covering the events. Agora Popular's cameraman, Dany Estela, reported that he was recording the protests when the police pointed directly at him.
Wayka journalist Juan Zapata was attacked twice by the police while he was alone. The first time, security forces struck him on the head with a baton. Then, the next day, he was shot directly in the leg.
The tweet reads, "Citizens continue to congregate in downtown Lima's streets. Health personnel also join protests against the Boluarte regime as the message to the Nation occurs."
The police also made arbitrary arrests of journalists, including documentary filmmaker Kente Aguirre, who was detained for over 24 hours in a police facility where he was reportedly tortured, according to human rights lawyers.
So far, the Peruvian Journalists Association has documented over 200 aggressions against the press since the Boluarte regime began in December 2022.
Over the weekend, lawyer Jose Balarazo denounced that the Police detained almost a hundred people from the Moquegua, Puno, Arequipa, and Chiclayo regions. Many of the arrested remain in the Petit Thouars, Alfonso Ugarte and Cotabambas police stations. Other citizens managed to be released thanks to the work of the National Human Rights Coordinator.