On Sept. 20, a group of workers and security guards from the Yanacocha mining company [joint venture of Newmont & Buenaventura] attacked the protest encampment established by local campesinos at the Conga site [Joint venture of Buenaventura & Newmont], where the company seeks to expand operations of Peru's biggest open-pit gold mine. The tents and bivouacs were torn down and burned, and the protesters evicted from the site. Three days later, protesters returned to re-establish the encampment—some 500 strong, and headed by the movement's most visible leaders…But that night, a group of some 10 men, hidden by darkness on the hills overlooking the new camp, fired shots at the protesters. A detachment of…the special anti-riot force of the National Police, looked on and did not interfere...[Company statement in Spanish below]