18 Jul 2019 | 06:39 AM UTC
US: Police disperse protesters in Puerto Rico with tear gas July 18 /update 4
Police disperse protesters in San Juan (Puerto Rico) with tear gas in early hours of July 18; continued protests and associated disruptions possible
Event
Protesters clashed with police in the early hours (local time) of Thursday, July 18, in San Juan (Puerto Rico) following hours of demonstrations. Thousands of people attended a protest march in Old San Juan from the Capitolio to La Fortaleza on Wednesday, July 17. Later, some protesters broke through police barricades at La Fortaleza, the governor's residence, prompting clashes with police around 00:00 on Thursday. Fires, fireworks, and tear gas were reported in Old San Juan. Further protests are possible in the coming days along with a heightened security presence and transportation and business disruptions.
Context
Wednesday was the fifth day of protests demanding the resignation of Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló following a scandal involving hundreds of pages of leaked texts between Rosselló and his cabinet members containing misogynistic and homophobic language Despite admitting to writing the messages, Rosselló has refused to resign.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has also implicated members of Rosselló's cabinet in fraud, conspiracy, and other corruption-related investigations.
Advice
Individuals in Puerto Rico, particularly San Juan, and other cities with large Puerto Rican communities are advised to monitor the situation, avoid all public gatherings, and anticipate a heightened security presence and localized transportation and business disruptions.
