Calle Florida 'tiled' with manteros...before...
After the city crack down...a vast emptiness. City functionaries, police, riot squads et al have taking position in Calle Florida and keep the vendors from setting up their wares.
However, despite riot squads at the ready, street vendors are not taking this laying down....actually some of them are taking it laying down, as they are just lay prostrate in protest on their manteros, some holding wooden crosses upright on their chests.
Functionaries 'Espacio Publico', taking care of 'public spaces' are present (on the shady side of the street) in every block of Calle Florida...
We are in a democracy, not in a dictatorship.
Instead of wares - hand painted messages. No'organized' prostesting business here, with mass produced placards, and organized agitators - these guys take things in their own hands.
...which makes the whole scene much more effective...
Street English - but it gets the message across.
MACRI (Mauricio Macri, Civil Engineer, Right Wing Chief of Government of the City of Buenos Aires)
MACRI, your child has already eaten today. Ours did not touch anything today, they fasted here with their parents.
They lay-in protest had finished, but the crosses were still there....
MACRI - THIEF
This indigenous woman defied the prohibition and started to spread out her wares amongst the crosses...
The Press - out in force - capturing every mood, street vendors, regular merchants, passers-by...
Some vendors ARE looking for food in less than inviting places - under the colours of an Argentinian flag, inscribed with messages....
Even the patriotic shoe shine man is temporarily out of work...
Vendors mingle, their wares still inside ambulant 'storage'...
La Vigencia...security vehicles...and lined up along side streets scores of police vehicles and TV station trucks.
Manteros all concentrating on drawing up their own version of protest message...
Some manteros just wait it out, reading newspapers...
Others are listening to an impromptu protest speech given by an irate mantero...
We are not delinquents...
MACRI you are killing work but supporting delinquency - reinstate the law of work with dignity...
One always leaves a maze on the up and up...
Peace amongst the opposing parties..
Not only the manteros suffered expulsions...a few illegallly parked cars fell victim to tow trucks...
Despite the 'revolution' in the streets, music still fills the air...
Appreciative listener at the feet of the musician..
One stops and listens for a song or two....
A few coins donated by the audience ensure that at least this street musician will have a meal tonight...
And - of course at the same time, the SUBTE Union is voicing its opposition to the recent subway fare increase, by sticking placards on top of subway turn-styles, and letting everyone ride for free. I arrived at rush hour, and the subway station was packed with waiting people, absolutely wall to wall, even the stairs were plugged up.
Quick 180 degree 'vuelta' for yours truly and a return to the surface to wait out the crush of travellers....a quick cool Quilmes porron (draft) and a few snacks tides one over, whilst sitting in a sidewalk bistro on the Avenida de 5 Mayo.
