Hundreds of protesters from various regions gathered outside the América Televisión headquarters in Lima this Thursday, protected by a contingent of National Police officers following a December incident where stones were thrown at the facility. The crowd carried flags and banners that identified participants from southern districts like Puno and Arequipa, as well as several districts around Lima.
The demonstrators generally chanted slogans as they stood peacefully in front of the network building. After about half an hour of peaceful assembly, they began to march along streets near the historic center of Lima, signaling a continued demonstration rather than a single moment of protest.
The protest movement later reached Arequipa Street, one of the capital city’s main thoroughfares, home to the Panamericana Televisión offices. The unplanned arrival in the area raised concerns among staff and security at local channels. In December, a group of vandals participating in anti-government demonstrations attacked a media base, escalating tensions in the city.
The protestors voiced calls for the resignation of President Dina Boluarte and demanded Congress be dissolved. During that earlier incident, the attackers targeted América Televisión and Canal N, and they briefly occupied the same building as Panamericana Televisión, with a vehicle from Exitosa Radio also affected.
At the media complex, stones and blunt objects damaged several windows and compromised portions of the infrastructure. The National Association of Journalists condemned the assault, underscoring that the right to protest cannot justify vandalism or the intimidation of press workers.
Across the anti-government demonstrations, journalists faced frequent hostility, with slogans accusing the press of bias and misinformation, and reports of harassment and physical attacks. In such clashes, the media experienced significant risk while attempting to cover events that spread across multiple regions.
Reporters also endured police crackdowns as demonstrations unfolded nationwide, with injuries reported among protesters and a number of journalists affected by police actions during the protests. The discourse around media coverage became entwined with the broader call for accountability and clearer governance in the country.