Clashes between police and protesters opposed to a US company's plans to build a five billion US dollar gold mine in Peru.<br/> <br />Four people have died in the last two days as the protests turned violent.<br/> <br />Seen here, left-wing leader Marco Arana, a soft-spoken former Roman Catholic priest who has rallied demonstrators to stop construction of the mine, said he was beaten by police as they arrested him.<br/> <br />Arana's critics blame him for inciting violence at a rally on Tuesday where protesters threw rocks and vandalized public buildings.<br/> <br />Critics of President Ollanta Humala, however, say the government and police forces have suspended the freedom of assembly.<br/> <br />On Wednesday, Prime Minister Oscar Valdes announced a 30-day state of emergency for the country.<br/> <br />The Humala government says the mine would generate thousands of jobs and huge tax revenues.<br/> <br />Protesters say it would cause pollution, contaminate water supplies and fail to bring local economic benefits.<br/> <br />Sarah Sheffer, Reuters
