Protests in the streets of Lima against the Merino Government

Lima experienced a day of citizen protests on Tuesday against the takeover of Congress President Manuel Merino as head of state of Peru in replacement of Martin Vizcarra, who was dismissed by the legislature for "moral incapacity".

Pickets of protesters moved throughout the day through the streets of the Peruvian capital's historic centre, with a concentration point in the Plaza San Martín, from where they tried several times to march to the Government Palace and the Legislative Palace, and were repressed by the police.

While carrying large Peruvian flags as well as posters and banners, the demonstrators rejected Vizcarra's dismissal, claimed that Merino "is not" their president and described the interim government that the legislator will lead until 28 July as "usurper".

Although in most cases the citizens marched peacefully, during the day there were clashes with riot control agents, who used tear gas and pellets, as well as water carts, to contain their attempts to reach the seats of the executive and legislative branches.

Police attacks on reporters and journalists covering the protests were also reported.

On Tuesday night, the fighting intensified and the head of the Lima Police Region, Jorge Callas, said riot police arrested 27 people who were allegedly involved in violence.

"We have a report of 27 arrests," Callas told state-run TV Peru before confirming that the police also used agents from the "Terna" group, a special team trained to infiltrate other citizens.

After local media showed images of civilians arresting protesters, the police chief said they intervened against those who acted "with the most violence.

However, local television reported that even minors were among those arrested and that several people were arrested while just watching the demonstrations.

Callas said the police acted in eight concentration points of the protests and said that since Tuesday evening "more violence began to be created", with the use of stones and cobblestones that have deteriorated the San Martin square.

In the midst of the demonstrations, the Institute of Press and Society (IPYS) reported that several journalists and photojournalists were attacked during the coverage of the demonstrations in Lima.

The journalists were affected both by the presence of "infiltrators" who sought to steal their equipment, and by the use of tear gas and pellets by the police.

"IPYS condemns this attitude of the police who attack the press while doing their informative work, which they must carry out without restrictions or acts of violence," he emphasised.

The El Comercio Group reported that at least three of its photojournalists were "harassed" by police and that one of them suffered injuries to his arm after being beaten with a stick.

The attacks against the reporters were rejected by the National Association of Journalists of Peru (ANP), which demanded that the National Police identify the attacking agents and establish protocols for this type of coverage.

"Without freedom of the press there is no democracy," warned the ANP, while the National Human Rights Coordinator reported that the general secretary of the audiovisual workers' union, Roberto Mesta, was beaten to death and taken to a police station.

Incommunicado detention

The authorities also held incommunicado a 24-year-old man, identified as Carlos Ezeta, who was arrested Monday night for punching Congressman Ricardo Burga in the face while he was testifying to journalists following Vizcarra's removal from office.

Family and friends of Ezeta held a vigil in front of the police station where he is being held, while his mother asked that he be allowed to see him and that the investigation of the case be speeded up.

While the demonstrators were demanding his release, his lawyer, Carlos Chávez, told Channel N television that he had not been allowed to talk to him, so he considered that "there is an excess and abuse by the police".

Congressman Burga, who represents Acción Popular, Merino's own party, said he has not yet filed a complaint against his attacker, because first he would "like to talk to this boy's parents to see what motivated the aggressive attitude.

Burga reported that, after receiving the punch, they took a CT scan, because he has "a small opening in his cheekbone".