By Brendan Oliver Bergh
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

SANTIAGO, Chile – Thousands of students took to the streets today as protestors marched on the Chilean capital of Santiago demanded free education. The second national march of the year, protestors clashed with police despite the peaceful undertone as petrol bombs were met with tear gas and water cannons.

While Chile’s education system is regard highly among Latin American countries, protestors state that they are discriminatory and unfair. While the middle and upper class have access to top schooling, the poor are limited to under-funded state schools with no free universities available.

The movement began with numerous demonstrations in 2011, and shows no signs of letting up. Few have seen any new benefit in the past few years, but education reform is slated to be a large issue during this year’s November Presidential election. Nationwide students marched for the opportunity to the same access to the education systems that the rich of the nation have had for generations. While the movement is mainly peaceful, with students waving signs and chanting, nefarious elements turned parts of the march violent.

Whether or not the protesters themselves have become violent or small groups of ill-tempered individuals who have infiltrated the movement has become the main question for police officers. Throughout Latin America during seemingly peaceful protests, hooded vandals can be seen inciting police officers to take the bait by throwing stones, vandalize shops and throwing homemade incendiary devices. Their intentions however must be questioned, as once peaceful scuffles become increasingly dangerous and disruptive as riot police shut down the protests. Here in Santiago after petrol bombs were thrown, the once peaceful protest was forcibly shut down by police who were attempting to quell the riot favoring elements.

Last month, 100,000 students marched for free education. The protest left casualties as eight officers were injured, one in serious condition after being attacked with acid, with 109 protestors were detained for different offenses.

For more information please see:

BBC – Chile Students Resume Protests For Free Education – 8 May 2013

Edmonton Journal – Chile Students Stage Big Protest Demand Education Reform – 8 May 2013

BBC – Chile Student Protests Resume As 100,000 March – 11 April 2013