STUDENTS CUT DOWN TREES AND BUILD BARRICADES; FLAMING BARRICADES; STUDENTS AND POLICE; ARMOURED CAR SPRAYS STUDENTS WITH TEAR GAS.




Initials DS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Students from the University of Montevideo battled with police Tuesday (3 June). The students were demonstrating in sympathy with striking meat workers.

The students cut down trees to build barricades across the roads near the University. They set fire to the barricades and threw flaming firebombs.

Helmeted policemen moved into the area and tore down the barricades. The students threw rocks at the police.

Then a police armoured car moved slowly ??? gas spewing from ports in its steel sides. The gas forced the students back onto the University grounds.

The meat workers of Montevideo have been on strike for more than a month. They are resisting a government attempt to change their pay system. Traditionally, the meat workers were given a ration of about 4 1/2 pounds of meat per week in addition to their pay. The new decree would end the meat ration and replace it with an increase in salaries which the workers say is of lesser value.

Sporadic violence also has broken out in Montevideo's working class districts because of the meat strike.