Honduran protestors target Dunkin Donuts, Burger King
By Tyler Bridges Tyler Bridges – Thu Aug 13, 5:00 am ET
Tegucigalpa, Honduras – Thousands of protesters calling for the return of deposed President Manuel Zelaya clashed with police Wednesday for the second day in a row, but Honduras' de facto government showed no willingness to allow Zelaya to return.
Youths with bandannas covering their faces threw rocks at police outside Honduras' congressional building. The police, protecting themselves with riot shields, periodically launched tear gas to disperse them.
It was unclear how many protesters took part in the demonstration. Police placed the number at 3,000; pro-Zelaya supporters said 10,000. There were no reports of deaths or injuries, but police said they'd arrested at least 43 people.
On Tuesday, Honduran authorities declared a curfew in the capital after the protesters, many of whom arrived by foot from outside Tegucigalpa in their largest organizing effort yet, broke windows, looted a Dunkin' Donuts franchise and set fire to a municipal bus.
Most commerce seemed to carry on as usual Wednesday, though teachers and medical professionals who were striking in solidarity with Zelaya shut down public schools and hospitals.
Government officials said Wednesday that they'd impose a nighttime curfew for the second night in a row if the marchers turned violent again.
"They have a right to protest, but they cannot destroy private property," said Marcia Villeda, a vice president of Congress. "We'll just keep doing what we have to do. This government is just trying to hold on and resist until we have new elections."
The violence came as Honduras' de facto government seemed increasingly unlikely to accept any resolution to the crisis that returns Zelaya to office.
The military rousted Zelaya from bed June 28 and bundled him aboard a military plane that took him to Costa Rica after the country's Supreme Court called for his arrest, saying he'd violated the country's constitution by scheduling a referendum on whether Honduras should hold an assembly to rewrite the constitution.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20090813/wl_csm/omcclashThis is the 1st corporate media source I've seen which didn't try to cram that whopper about expanding term limits down our throats. Is this a turning point? Probably not.