Yesterday in San Juan,
peaceful demonstrators outside of the official estate of Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuño were
violently removed by SWAT team agents and arrested, despite assurances that they would leave peacefully and not resist arrest.
The act of civil disobedience was led by members of the Puerto Rican Workers union, SEIU Local 1996SPT,
in reaction to the Governor's
announcement on Friday
to lay off 16,970 government employees. The disproportionate show of
force against demonstrators included hitting people with billyclubs and
those affected by the police brutality included workers as well as
members of the press.
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