Greenpeace activists arrested on Congress steps ahead of glaciers reform session

A group of Greenpeace activists were arrested on Thursday for carrying out a protest on the steps of Congress against a bill aimed at allowing mining in areas surrounding glaciers, which the senate will debate on Thursday. The environmentalist activists began the peaceful protest at around 7:30 a.m. by jumping the tall fence in front of Congress. Wearing suits and a presidential sash, they sat on plastic or cardboard toilet seats placed on the staircase. Other Greenpeace members, wearing orange jumpsuits, held a sign with a message to senators: “Don’t shit on our water. The Glaciers Law can’t be touched.” Una vez más vinimos al Congreso de la Nación, junto a activistas de todo el país, para decirles a los senadores que defiendan y protejan las reservas de agua dulce más importantes de la Argentina. pic.twitter.com/C2dzCDwCgr— Greenpeace Argentina (@GreenpeaceArg) February 26, 2026 The environmental NGO later published a statement on social media defending the protest and condemming the arrests. “Access to water is a human right. And glaciers are strategic reserves for millions of Argentines,” they wrote, adding that “defending water is not a crime.” Quickly after the protest began, Congress security and police intervened, arresting at least 12 activists. A cameraman was also arrested and injured by police while he was registering the crackdown. Press present at the scene were affected by tear gas as well. Footage from the scene shows how police pushed A24 cameraman Facundo Tedeschini to the ground, which caused a cut on his face. An officer also aggressively tried to take away the phone of a man who was recording what was happening. El camarógrafo Facundo Tedechini (@AmericaTV) fue brutalmente golpeado por la Policía Federal frente al Congreso. Estaba registrando la detención de activistas de Greenpeace que protestaban contra la modificación de la Ley de Glaciares. pic.twitter.com/ghbxW2b6lz— Revista Cítrica (@revistacitrica) February 26, 2026 Judge Marcelo Martínez de Giorgi ordered the release of the cameraman, who was let go at around 10 a.m. The judge also ordered the police officer who arrested him to be questioned. Before being released, Tedeschini spoke to colleagues while entering the Ramos Mejías hospital to get a medical checkup and said that he was doing “fine.” The senate debate In a session scheduled for 11 a.m., senators will debate a bill aimed at modifying a 2010 law that protects glaciers and surrounding areas called periglacial, which are portions of frozen mountain land that can defrost depending on the season and are a source of fresh water.  In many regions, valuable minerals such as copper and lithium, as well as hydrocarbon, can be found beneath them. Current legislation bans mining both in glaciers and in periglacial areas. If approved, the bill would allow provinces to decide the extent of periglacial areas and whether they want to allow mining in them or not. Senators will also debate the Mercosur-European Union (EU) trade agreement following its approval in the lower house. If the senate approves it, Argentina could become the first country to ratify it, out of the two blocs. Uruguay’s Congress is also expected to debate it on Thursday. Senators will also vote on the government’s bid to name former lawmaker Fernando Iglesias Argentine ambassador before Belgium and the EU. You may also be interested in: New pro-mining bills signal shift in Argentina’s environmental views