Caracas, Venezuela – Venezuelan police fired tear gas and plastic bullets Monday into a crowd of protesters angry over a decision by President Hugo Chavez that forced a critical television station off the air.
Police fired toward the crowd of about 5,000 protesters from a raised highway, and protesters fled amid clouds of tear gas. They later regrouped in Caracas’ Plaza Brion, chanting “freedom!”
It was the largest of several protests that broke out across Caracas hours after Radio Caracas Television ceased broadcasting at midnight Sunday and was replaced with a state- funded channel.
Chavez had refused to renew RCTV’s broadcast license, accusing it of “subversive” activities and of backing a 2002 coup against him.
At least three protesters and one police officer were injured in skirmishes.
Office workers poured out of buildings to join student protesters, while organizers called for the demonstration to remain peaceful. RCTV talk- show host Miguel Angel Rodriguez led the crowd in chants of “They will not silence us!”
Thousands of government supporters reveled in the streets as they watched the midnight changeover on large screens, seeing RCTV’s signal go black and then be replaced by a TVES logo.
Inside the studios of RCTV – the sole opposition-aligned TV station with nationwide reach – disheartened actors and comedians wept and embraced in the final minutes on the air.
