Costa Rica: Excessive use of lethal force

According to reports, on 13 May 1994 some 200 policemen of the Civil and Rural Guard attacked peacefully striking banana workers from the Geest company. They first used tear gas, then when the crowd began to throw stones, the police began to shoot indiscriminately into the crowd. Some three dozen people were wounded, four of them very seriously. Nine policemen also suffered lesser injuries during the incident. A further 35 people were detained, including trade union leader Jose Rivera Leandro and 25 children. They were all subsequently released.

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