More than 100,000 Puerto Ricans reunited in different locations to march towards the offices of the Oversight Board. The Oversight Board was implemented by the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act to make sure the Puerto Rican debt was paid. The Oversight Board is currently asking for a plan to cut 603 million dollars of the University of Puerto Rico's budget, which is 800 million dollars. Also, law 938 was recently approved. This law will reduce the number of days for sickness and vacations and medical appointment hours permitted without removing part of their salary.
The law also establishes that collective agreements will be revoked. The law has many other effects Not only that but 300 public schools will close which could seriously affect the education of many people.
Demands of the people of Puerto Rico
The Puerto Rican people want to be heard. The audit of the debt is the principal claim of the strike since it is suspected to be illegal and unconstitutional. If the debt is audited and there is an illegal part to it, the illegal part is eliminated and the debt reformed and those responsible sanctioned. It could change the way the situation is being handled. Even Puerto Ricans in Manhattan joined the strike in support of their city. The march in Puerto Rico was a pacifist march until an unknown group caused damage to Banco Popular's offices.
Confrontations between the police and protesters started
A group of people dressed in all black and completely covered up started throwing rocks and breaking the windows of the Banco Popular's building with sticks. Then the police started launching tear gas and the crowd started to disperse. An unknown person or group also vandalized many buildings, including McDonalds.
There's also videos and testimonies that evidenced that many people were locked inside the Roosevelt train station. It is said that while they were locked, the police threw tear gas approximately every 5 minutes. Many others said that the Bayamón train station was also attacked with tear gas.
It is not uncommon that protests end with confrontations between protesters and the police; it also happened in Paris.
'Banco Popular' demands the union leaders
Once, the Banco Popular heard of this, they sued the unions present at the march and their leaders. They asked the Supreme Court to intervene and command the protesters to allow entrance to the building. In the lawsuit, it was said that it "does not pretend to restrict the right to freedom of speech of the protesters." It is also repeatedly said that the workers cannot do their work and that if the lawsuit is not approved immediately, the building will suffer irreparable damage.
The governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Roselló, reassured the public in his message to the media, that "the delinquent(s), whoever did this, will be found and sanctioned for the crimes".
