Protests In Argentina As Prince William Begins Falklands Deployment

[WestVirginiaRebel]

UK Telegraph:

Argentinian protesters have marched on the British embassy in Buenos Aires, burning the Union flag, in protest at the Duke of Cambridge's six-week deployment to the Falklands Islands.

A branch of the British owned HSBC bank was also attacked late on Thursday by a mob of 100 men armed with clubs, spray-painting it with "English out of Malvinas" – the Argentinian name for the disputed islands.

Quebracho, a hardline left wing group behind the HSBC protest, vowed to target a different British business every week as the relationship between the two countries plummeted to its lowest ebb since the conflict 30 years ago.

Vice President Amado Boudou on Thursday claimed Prince William had been sent to the disputed islands to mask the Government's failings domestically.

The moves "have to do with British domestic politics, with the high unemployment. This is an attempt to cover for a government that has a low level of accomplishment," Boudou said on La Red radio.

In a move to ease the tensions, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said on Friday that Prince William's deployment was a routine stint for an air force pilot.

Asked whether the arrival of Prince William in the Falklands on Thursday was inflaming tensions, Mr Hammond said: "It shouldn't."

"He's there as a search and rescue pilot, that's a humanitarian function and it's a routine deployment."

Argentina claims the deployment is a provocation, coming two months before the 30th anniversary of the conflict. Britain announced on Tuesday it was sending HMS Dauntless, one of the most advanced anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic ships in the world, to the South Atlantic.

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Britain to Argentina: Get over yourselves.