A violent episode occurred near the 12th Police Station in El Bolsón when a group of horsemen, armed with whips, charged at protesters demanding the release of three detainees linked to the fires in the Patagonian region. Police forces tried to contain the horsemen while they faced residents of Mallín Ahogado and members of social organizations.
The horsemen, overwhelmed by the fires, attacked the protesters and those documenting the incident. Present women tried to calm the situation, even invoking "Pachamama." The police had to establish a security cordon between the conflicting groups.
Three arrests were made: the first around 10:30 in Mallín Ahogado, where the suspect was identified as an outsider and potentially flammable items were seized from him. Two other arrests were made under the charge of "investigation of an illicit act." Governor Alberto Weretilneck confirmed the arrests and anticipated possible additional captures as part of the investigation.
Days earlier, the governors of Río Negro and Chubut confirmed the intentionality of the fires in Epuyén and El Bolsón, committing to a thorough investigation. The protesters claim that the detainees were helping to combat the fires and were not related to their origin, a version that differs from the official position of the authorities.
