Residents of Buenos Aires suburb Wilde marched for the third consecutive day on Friday, in protest at the murder of local architect Renata Toscano. Around 500 people protested the lack of justice for the crime, as well as the atmosphere of insecurity many inhabitants feel dominates their lives.

Toscano, 43, was shot dead on Tuesday by thieves trying to steal her car in the centre of Wilde, located in the southern partido of Avellaneda in Gran Buenos Aires. On returning to her home three youths cut off the street she was driving down; as she accelerated away from the thieves they opened fire, hitting her in the face and killing her instantly.

Four suspects, including two minors, were apprehended after the event, but were released due to lack of evidence. At the time of writing no further suspects have been detained for this crime.

The murder has caused outrage in the neighbourhood, where Toscano was well-known and popular. As well as being an architect she was a teacher of religious studies in a local college, which suspended lessons as a mark of respect after the event.

Residents have protested outside the local police station every day since the murder, demanding that police so something to end the wave of violent crime in the working-class suburbs of Buenos Aires.

They also demanded that justice is found for Toscano, and that the people who carried out this crime are found and detained. Police Chief Mario Valente promised protestors that efforts would be reinforced to extend the level of police cover in the southern suburbs of Gran Buenos Aires.

Toscano’s sister Carla Toscano expressed her bewilderment and anger at losing her sibling so needlessly. “If (the attackers) would have wanted money she would have given it to them. I don’t know why they killed her. They ended the life of someone who was not causing harm to anybody”.

Minister for Justice and Security, Aníbal Fernández, has guaranteed that in the next few days he will present a proposal to Congress for the creation of a penal system for youths aged 14 and above. It could replace the guardian arrangement currently in place, but will still “respect minors’ rights”.

The executive returned to this issue after Daniel Capristo, 45, was shot dead in the doorway of his home on 15th April in Valentín Alsina, Buenos Aires province. The incident intensified the sense of insecurity prevalent in Argentina at the moment. Yesterday 8,000 marched in Valentín Alsina, deeply concerned about their safety and with tough questions for the provincial and national governments.

Currently the law states that minors who are 14 years old cannot legally be held responsible for their actions. Fernandez believes that “a young boy who unloads nine bullets into a man knows what he’s doing”. While making it easier to prosecute minors does not resolve the problem, he adds “if you committed the crime, you have to pay for it”.    

The minister rejected criticism that the government’s response to youth crime has been spasmodic. In an interview on Radio 10, he claimed that a commission was created over a year ago to investigate the issue. He said that the commission had examined all the information with the Supreme Court and UNICEF and studied the seven relevant projects that already exist in Congress, which resulted in the proposal for a penal system for those aged 14 and above.

“What I want is to eliminate the guardian excuse, that is to say, that currently when minors are deprived of their freedom, they are not tried because a judge takes charge of their life and there are no grey areas. Or, they send them home or to an institute.”

He explained that, while the guardian arrangement gives judges the power to appropriately punish a minor, the majority do not do so. The new system “would strengthen the justice system, allowing them to put into practice what we are demanding today”.

Residents in the province of Buenos Aires have had their fears assuaged as the construction of a two metre high wall was called to a halt yesterday. The wall has been constructed between neighbourhoods in the San Fernando and San Isidro barrios against what is seen as the rising problem of insecurity in the area.

Gustavo Posse, mayor of San Isidro, ordered the wall to be built to ‘protect’ the residents of the exclusive La Horqueta community from their neighbours in the working class area of Villa Jardín. The 240 metre long wall divides the neighbourhoods with the equivalent of 16 city blocks of concrete and metal.

President Kirchner has called the development of the structure “a regression”. Residents of Villa Jardín have described the construction as a discriminatory gesture.

Following widespread criticism this week the mayor of San Fernando, Osvaldo Amieiro called for an end to the building of the wall. Judge Fernando Ribeiro Cardadeiro upheld that request yesterday. Since then Posse has confirmed that all construction has been suspended. “Provisionally the works are in waiting as requested on the part of the officials responsible for security”, he commented.

The problem of insecurity has been felt in both barrios with problems culminating on Calle Uruguay, a street between the two neighbourhoods. With both sides affected by the problems of delinquent behaviour, residents are calling for a united community effort to approach the problem.

Security walls like this already exist in numerous barrios in the Buenos Aires province. Some regard the division of communities as a temporary answer to the problem of insecurity; containing the problem rather than addressing it’s roots. The minister of Security of Buenos Aires, Carlos Stornelli, commented that the wall “is not the solution” to insecurity, but “enlarges the violence and the exclusion”.

Some eight thousand people gathered in the Plaza de Mayo today to protest the necessity for higher “security”. A particularly important issue for protesters is that of youth delincuency after a spate of violent crimes.

The page advertising the rally on social networking site Facebook stated today: “Everyone to Plaza de Mayo! Without political banners! Simply the people!” and showed a number of photographs of youths who have lost their lives to violent crime.

The demonstration lasted less than an hour and the only people to make official speeches were Catholic priest Guillermo Marcó and rabbi Sergio Bergman. Both demanded more anti-crime action from public authorities as well and exhorted everyone to maintain a civil society. Both also declared continued opposition to the death penalty.

Bergman dedicated one minute of silence to victims of “insecurity” and affirmed that “security can be resolved through a political decision.” He went on to declare, “It depends on you…that you get up from your siesta and participate.”

Marcó complained, “At the moment, public areas are for the delinquents and we are imprisoned behind bars.” He called for “an end to the violence” adding, “We must live in peace.”

Families of recent victims of violent crime were present. Among Argentine famous faces present to show their support were ex-model, actress and all-round celebrity Susana Giménez and “Diva Argentina” Moria Casán.

Similar demonstrations were carried out in Córdoba, Santa Fe and Mendoza. In Mar del Plata, relatives of victims of crime gathered tonight in front of the Cathedral to ask for more police control in the city. Some demanded the death penalty for “delinquent killers”.