Beekeepers protested with thousands of bees on Monday in the Chilean capital of Santiago. “We were protesting because of the drought, the drought in the Colina commune, bees are dying,” beekeeper Jose Iturra told local media.
“Bees are important worldwide. There would be no life if bees died. That’s what we wanted to highlight with our cultural demonstration,” he said, adding that they want government support for their sector.
Six beekeepers blocked traffic by placing 56 wooden beehives containing thousands of bees outside La Moneda government palace. Police arrested four people for disorder and for endangering public health.
Some locals were scared of the bees. “My daughter is allergic. It is horrible when she gets stings,” a woman said. “People have a right to protest. They need to be careful with bee stings,” another bystander said.
With the help of the beekeepers, police removed the beehives from the street. No civilians were stung during the protest, local media reported.
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