Chile: Protesters clash with police over education demands

Mercopress.com reported that demonstrations of thousands of students that turned out to the streets of Santiago and other Chilean cities to demand better education, ended in violent clashes with riot police which had to appeal to tear gas, water cannons and paint guns to later identify protestors, tens of which were later detained. According to Carabineros estimates the number of protestors was in the range of 5.000. Student organizations say the turnout was 20.000 but they were expecting 80.000 as in other demonstrations that have taken place during the last 18 months. Opinion polls indicate that 70% of the Chilean population support students’ demands for a better and free education.

All was fine and peaceful until 45 minutes after the march took off when hooded protestors ‘infiltrated’ started to provoke Carabineros setting up barricades with metal railings, kicking garbage bins, tearing down traffic signals, setting fire to a security cabin and attacking a fire department outpost. Read Article