Chile: One Hundred and Five Arrested in Protests for Free Education

Santiago, Chile – Protests spanned the length of Chile on Tuesday, May 10, as the Chilean student movement took to the streets for their second national day of action this year. In a press release, the national student union, Confech, said that over a quarter million people participated in events throughout Chile, with an estimated 80,000 people marching in Santiago.

In Valdivia, a journalism student was gravely injured when he was hit in the face with a CS gas canister, Resumen Latino Americano reported.

In Santiago, 105 people were arrested, including the 15 year-old son of the national superintendent of K-12 education, according to la Tercera. There were reports of bystanders not involved in the protests also being arrested.

Protester fights back against police vehicle

Police special forces repeatedly used batons, CS gas, and water canons, shooting water containing chemicals with effects comparable to CS gas, to try to disperse protesters. Some protesters forced police to retreat by throwing rocks, before the march was dispersed.

Police release CS gas from an armored vehicle

The march paralyzed the center of Santiago, a city of more than seven million people, for over three hours. Confech materials identified the march with the tag #finaladeuda, “end the debt.”

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