Hundreds of women have turned out in Argentina to breastfeed in public, in protest at the removal of a mother for nursing publicly in a Buenos Aires square last week.

Waving signs that read "No repression; nursing is not up for discussion" and "My breasts, my rights; I'm not interested in your opinion", some 500 women demonstrated in support of Constanza Santos, who police took from the square for nursing her nine-month-old.

Instead of a sit-in, some called the protest a breastfeed-in.

Women breastfeed their children during a demonstration at a square in San Isidro. ( AFP: Javier Gonzalez Toledo )

Supporters said the case was disturbing and that they were not going to let mothers' rights be trampled on.

Similar demonstrations were held in other cities, including Mar del Plata, Tucuman and Neuquen.

"This is great because it sheds light on a problem. And police need to be on the public's side and not work against them," said Argentine human rights activist Adolfo Perez Esquivel.

AFP