MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tear gas and rubber bullets to protect Cristina Fernandez surrounded by protestors in Rio Gallegos

Protestors started to surround the house on Friday late afternoon, as part of a demonstration by provincial employees against Alicia Kirchner

Argentine ex president Cristina Fernandez and her sister in law and governor of Santa Cruz province Alicia Kirchner, are holding in at their home in Rio Gallegos surrounded by an angry crowd in the midst of a chaotic situation as police try to disperse protestors with tear gas and rubber bullets.

 Protestors started to surround the house on Friday late afternoon, as part of a demonstration by provincial employees against Alicia Kirchner, demanding to be paid their salaries in arrears. The rally which turned violent was spontaneous and organized through social networks, and the culmination of an ongoing conflict with the provincial government.

“The unrest and protests are not limited to one sector, it is an extended ill feeling about the whole situation” reported a journalist from the local Opi Santa Cruz.

So far two people have been reported injured, one of them a photographer working at the scene and who received a deep cut in the head.

Apparently the crowd grew in size and aggressiveness when it was revealed that ex president Cristina Fernandez had arrived at her sister in law's house from El Calafate where she now resides.

After the incidents broke out and the house was being stoned, special forces from the provincial police arrived with the order of pushing back the advance of the protestors. But some of them managed to break into the premises of the residence and the police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.

Demonstrators from the different groups started to arrive in large numbers when a message was twitted saying ”we're outside Alicia's house, next to Government House. Come quick Alicia is in the house with Cristina!!! Come as soon as you can and as many as possible!! We need you!!. We are here with the teachers, so parents should also come and help us. WE WANT TO DIALOGUE WITH ALICIA AND WE WANT TO BE HEARD. PLS CIRCULATE THE MESSAGE!!

According to the Rio Gallegos media this is the second time in the month that the governor or Santa Cruz had to lock herself in. Last April 4, it happened at Government House where she had to wait for over eight hours for the protestors and demonstrators to lift the siege. Santa Cruz province is literally broke and provincial government staff haven't been paid for months.