Truth Commission: Colombia needs radical policy changes to...
Colombia’s controversial moment of truth
At least 49 dead after ‘prison break attempt’...
Colombia’s incoming government begins “total peace” offensive
Colombia investigating bullfighting tragedy
Petro’s first moves to restructure Colombia’s government
Petro and Duque meet over transition of power...
Colombia confronts former FARC chiefs with suffering kidnapping...
Colombia hears former guerrilla chiefs over mass kidnappings
Petro’s quest for a majority in Colombia’s Congress
  • About
  • Support
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Colombia News | Colombia Reports
  • News
    • General
    • Analysis
    • War and peace
    • Elections
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Sports
    • Science and Tech
  • Travel
    • General
    • Bogota
    • Medellin
    • Cali
    • Cartagena
    • Antioquia
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • Coffee region
    • Amazon
    • Southwest Colombia
    • Northeast Colombia
    • Central Colombia
  • Data
    • Economy
    • Crime and security
    • War and peace
    • Development
    • Cities
    • Regions
    • Provinces
  • Profiles
    • Organized crime
    • Politics
    • Armed conflict
    • Economy
    • Sports
  • Lite
  • Opinion
(Image: Prensa Alternativa Cauca)
News

Talks fail; Colombia’s student protests turn violent

by Frank Cardona November 9, 2018

Student protests across Colombia descended into violence after hooded individuals attacked police and police attacked students.

Students across the country marched through streets, but violence was reported in Bogota and Popayan. Three students are allegedly missing after they were “arbitrarily arrested,” according to the People’s Human Rights Network. Dozens of students and policemen were injured.


Colombia’s students to shut down cities in first confrontation with Duque administration


Daniela Quintero, a student who marched in northern Bogota, wrote for Colombia Reports that students intended to march peacefully but were met by Colombia’s feared riot police, ESMAD, with “tear gas and stun grenades.”


I am one of Colombia’s students. We were protesting peacefully and police attacked us


Reports on social media told stories of students being chased and attacked by police. A group of students in Bogota was run over by a car during the protests. The driver reportedly surrendered herself to authorities later.

Students across the country said uninvited masked vandals joined protests and escalated the chaos.

In the southern Colombian city of Popayan, students denounced vandals who threw rocks at riot police. Fourteen people were reported injured, including a police officer.

The policeman guarding the RCN Radio office reportedly was lit on fire by a Molotov cocktail. He survived with minor injuries.

Bogota’s Mayor Enrique Peñalosa called the attacks “cowardly hooliganism.”

“These acts of violence, which involve the destruction of public facilities, aggression against police officers, and the blockade of Transmilenio, make it impossible for hundreds of people to go to their homes or to pick up children from schools,” Peñalosa said.

In 2013, farmers protested peacefully at Plaza Bolivar for hours until a group of hooded men appeared and incited panic by setting off non-lethal weapons and throwing debris at police. This triggered police to end the entire demonstration.

On Tuesday the government had met with students but negotiations stalled. Students demanded to meet with President Duque after they said the government didn’t have “the political will to move forward.”

Some fear that if the student protests are labeled as “violent,” it will give Duque’s government the leverage to pull out of talks completely.

Declaraciones del presidente Iván Duque sobre los hechos de violencia ocurridos en Bogotá y Popayán.

Geplaatst door Presidencia de la República de Colombia op Vrijdag 9 november 2018

In a televised speech, Duque rejected the vandalism against public property and RCN, a conservative radio station that is widely considered pro-government, but failed to reject the attack on the students or invte them for renewed talks that had stalled days before.

educationpolice brutalitystudent protestsstudent strikes

Trending

  • Petro’s quest for a majority in Colombia’s Congress

  • The peaceful revolution of Colombia’s “nobodies”

  • Colombia hears former guerrilla chiefs over mass kidnappings

Related articles

  • UN calls for far-reaching reforms in Colombia to curb violence during protest

  • Colombia indicts police commanders over murdered protesters

  • Colombia’s War on Truth in trouble

  • RSS

@2008-2019 - Colombia Reports. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by Digitale Zaken and Parrolabs


Back To Top