MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Thousands in Argentine pots and pans protest. Rain, tear gas and rubber bullets.

Thousands of Argentines from all over Buenos Aires converged on the city's famous central square, the Plaza de Mayo, late Friday night as part of a massive national protest against the government and the penal financial restrictions imposed in recent weeks. But a combination of torrential rain and violent police reaction using tear gas and rubber bullets just after midnight caused many of the demonstrators to disperse. Several protestors and police were injured and stretchered into ambulances. Some demonstrators were arrested and forced to lie down on the wet roads.

This was the latest and one of the biggest of a series of what's become known as "cacerolazos", meaning big casseroles, in which the people arm themselves with nothing more lethal than pots and pans and pan lids, which they bang together incessantly, humble but potent weapons to signal their anger and pent-up frustration. They were joined in this protest by drums, whistles and honking car horns in a swelling chorus of noise and people estimated to number as many as 25-thousand.

Hour after hour, kilometre after kilometre, they marched from dozens of different neighbourhoods towards the Casa Rosada, the Presidential Palace, and to the Congress building to target their anger at these symbols of the government and politicians they have come to detest. Among them were many women and families with children and even with their pet dogs. Others came by bicycle.

Riot police react

Police in riot gear were out in force, hundreds of them in groups in the streets all around the Plaza de Mayo, armed with batons and some with rubber bullet rifles, and others with police dogs.

The presidential Palace itself was cordoned off with metal barriers to frustrate any attempt to storm and damage the building as happened to Congress earlier in the month.

As the crowds swelled from hundreds to thousands, a gentle drizzle at ten o'clock had turned into a downpour by midnight, soaking the multitude. "It's raining", the people shouted, "but it won't stop us". At first it failed to dampen the vigour of their protest but as the rain grew heavier, many began to disperse. As they appeared to be withdrawing peacefully, the police advanced, firing tear gas and rubber bullets, forcing remnants of the crowd to scatter. A few with scarves hiding their faces retaliated by throwing stones and a few home-made Molotov petrol bombs, causing small fires on the sodden roads. Police reinforcements were called up, dozens of them on motorcycles, two on each bike, firing more rubber bullets.

Demonstrators shouted at the police: "You are Argentines too. You should be protecting not attacking us. The nation belongs to us all". Many of the protestors carried banners calling the politicians "robbers" and "traitors". Others waved the