2020 Colombian Uprising

Preface
Protests & Riots
Police Brutality & Crimes Against Humanity
Protester Response to Police Brutality
Updates

Preface

On the 8th of September, police arrested a lawyer and father of two, Javier Ordóñez, for going out with friends during COVID-19 restrictions; he was pinned down, and subjected to electrocution for minutes on end. He begged the police to stop what they were doing, but the police paid him no attention. He would go on to die in the hospital.

Protests & Riots

Outrage immediately swept the capital, Bogota, and soon an insurrection was underway. Most of the capital fell under protester control, with only Bolivar Plaza remained, where Parliament is situated. Police quickly lost control of the situation to the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators who had gone out in honor of Javier Ordóñez. The military mobilized as it had during the 2019 protests, arrived in the streets a few days after the protests had begun.

Police Brutality & Crimes Against Humanity

Police brutality was present in Colombia since the start of the protests, and it became very, very clear that the government’s aim was to suppress the protests, not satisfy them. They began to use live ammunition and severe beatings, and the death toll reflects that. 5 people died on the first night; 4 shot dead, 1 beaten to death. 80 people were injured; 24 by police-administered gunshots, about 56 to police beatings and brutality. Many more deaths are expected soon as the police is actively using live ammunition.

Protester Response to Police Brutality

Despite threat of police violence, more militant protests have begun throughout Bogota, and sabotage of police operations have begun, especially by tripping up or assaulting police on motorcycles or other vehicles.