Clashes between students and police in Chile

Groups of students marching in the center of the capital, Santiago, staged a demonstration they called “mochilazo.”

The police intervened with tear gas and water cannons at the students who barricaded the street and threw Molotov cocktails.

The protesters carried banners of “Down with commercial education” and “continue the fight after school.”

In statements to the EFE news agency, a 15-year-old student named Manuel Ibarra stated that decent education in the country is not up to par. We will mobilize again this year with the same determination that we have always had”.

The Chilean government has announced that it will carry out a plan to contribute to education of approximately $306 million until the end of the year to attend to the most urgent needs.

Students in Chile regularly protest educational conditions, and there are occasional violent clashes with security forces. (AA)