Argentine government in radical change proposes police crackdowns on street protests

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Argentina's populist government is proposing a radical change in how it deals with street protests after a decade of permissive policing.

Governing party deputy Carlos Kunkel wants to require all protesters to notify police two days in advance and describe the place, time and goal of the protest. Demonstrations blocking traffic would be illegal and forcibly removed. But police officers would not carry guns, and a government official would have two hours to negotiate a resolution before police moved in.

In Kunkel's words, "it seems reasonable to decide what to do with a law nobody follows, which says people who block traffic must be jailed."

Opponents in Congress worried openly Thursday about letting the government decide which protests are legitimate. Human rights activists called it a step backward.