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Argentina Removes COVID Memorial Stones From Plaza de Mayo Ahead of World Cup Final

The government says the preventive move preserves the named stones while a large security operation is under way and that the pieces will be returned after the operation.

Overview

  • The government had the stones moved on Saturday morning to the Casa Rosada with Army and city personnel placing them in government custody to prevent damage during expected mass celebrations.
  • Officials described the action as preventive, said families of the victims were notified in advance, and promised the stones will be restituted when the security operation ends.
  • City and national authorities are running a coordinated security plan for the match that includes about 1,000 city police, road closures, barriers, medical posts, camera and drone monitoring.
  • The government, the City and provincial forces are also coordinating with the AFA over possible player return routes and a potential Casa Rosada stop, but the team’s return schedule remained not finalized at the time of reporting.
  • The memorial began in 2021 as a grassroots tribute with each stone bearing a victim’s name and its temporary removal raises questions about how public space and collective memory are managed during large national events.