Peter Thiel faces Gandalf-themed protest in Buenos Aires

Protesters dressed as Gandalf from 'The Lord of the Rings' held a demonstration in front of the Buenos Aires residence of tech magnate Peter Thiel. The group used Tolkien-themed imagery and slogans, such as “You shall not pass,” to protest Thiel's recent business activities in Argentina.

The demonstration follows Thiel's $76 million acquisition of shares in Vista Energy, a major oil exporter operating in the Vaca Muerta formation. The protest also targeted Thiel's role as the founder of Palantir Technologies, a firm specializing in mass surveillance and artificial intelligence, whose name is derived from the same literary universe.

While the protest was described as peaceful, participants used chants and banners to criticize Thiel's growing economic influence and his potential interest in positioning Argentina as a hub for artificial intelligence and cybersecurity development.