Protests over reforms strengthen as Chile’s students clash with police

SANTIAGO: Police clashed with studentdemonstrators in the streets of Chile´s capital Santiago onThursday, in the latest protest by university and high schoolpupils who say the government is moving too slowly on plannedreforms.

During the march, which authorities had not authorized,students attempted to walk along the Alameda, Santiago´s mainartery, and demonstrate in front of La Moneda presidentialpalace.

But heavily armored police officers dispersed the crowdwith water cannon and tear gas, as protesters threw stones andset up flaming barricades.

"We occupied the street peacefully, but unfortunately thepolice pushed us back brutally," high school student unionpresident Jose Corona, soaking wet from police water cannon,told local media.

The clashes are the latest in a number of high-profileprotests in Chile in recent weeks, which have included a fatalarson attack and a scuffle with protesters inside La
Moneda.

According to student unions, the protests are a response towhat they perceive as a slow pace of reforms by the governmentof President Michelle Bachelet, particularly with regard toeducation.

"We the students have adopted a position of offense," MartaMatamala, head of the University of Santiago student union, saidin broadcast comments.
"We are going to stay on the streets.From today onward, weexpect that the protests will only intensify."

Bachelet, who began her second, non-consecutive presidentialterm in 2014, campaigned on a slew of reforms that includedshaking up Chile´s highly privatised education system and makinguniversity free of charge.

However, the planned reforms have been delayed and scaledback over the past year due to a recalcitrant Congress,far-reaching corruption scandals, and a sluggish economy,angering many on the left.