Student protest against cuts at Argentine universities ends in clash with police

Protesters protect themselves with makeshift shields against water jets during a protest in support of the Argentine university community, on October 15, 2026 — Photo: Pedro Lazaro Fernandez

The incidents occurred during the central event, in the square in front of the Argentine Congress. Dozens of people threw stones, while police used tear gas to disperse protesters.

Protests were also recorded in other cities across the country. Protesters demand that the government comply with a law that provides for updating the financing of public universities, including the replacement of professors' salary losses and the restoration of student scholarships.

The mobilization comes after days of strike, protests within universities and court decisions that determine that the Executive applies the so-called University Financing Law.

Resources allocated to Argentine universities fell 40.5% in real terms in the first half of this year, compared to the same period in 2023, according to a study by the National Economy Research Center at the University of Buenos Aires.

In the capital, thousands of people gathered near Congress after noon, with flags from student organizations and teachers' unions. Among the messages displayed were "Milei, obey the law" and "The public university is a right, not a privilege."

The law was approved by Congress in August 2025, but vetoed by Milei. In October of that year, Parliament overturned the veto. Despite this, the government did not apply the rule.

Since then, court decisions, including one from the Supreme Court in June, have ordered the Executive to make the payments.

On Tuesday, presidential spokesman Adrián Ravier stated that "it is not true that this law is not being complied with." According to him, the application of the rule has been interrupted while the government takes legal action.

The Executive also argues that the legislation does not specify where the resources to finance it will come from.

This is the fifth federal university march since Milei assumed the Presidency, in December 2023. Since then, the government has announced increases in funds allocated to universities, but institutions consider the amounts insufficient.