130 detained in Chile student protests: police

SANTIAGO: Police in the Chilean capital Santiago fired water cannons and tear gas on Thursday to disperse hundreds of student protesters calling for education reforms, and detained at least 130 people.

Security forces moved on students trying to rally on the city's Plaza Italia, after earlier clashes earlier at spots across the city where students had set up barricades of burning tires, bringing traffic to a standstill.

At midday, order had been restored and normal road traffic had resumed, with police patrolling on horseback or in vehicles.

At least 130 people had been detained, according to a midday police toll widely cited by local media including public television TVN. There were no reports of injuries.

Students in Chile want the national government to take over the public school system, where 90 percent of the country's 3.5 million students are educated. The students say the system is underfunded and deeply inequitable.

Students and professors had announced a national strike and two marches would take place on Thursday, but Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter said the government had not granted permission for the two demonstrations. (AFP)