Thousands of protesters across the Chilean capital city of Santiago gathered for the 2nd day of the national mobilization against President Sebastian Piñera, clashing with Carabineros who deployed chemically tainted water cannons, tear gas, and pepper spray. Molotov cocktails would be seen in use several times that day.
Protesters started off the day by performing an escrache (practice of publicly harassing public figures) against violators of human rights, including several carabinero officers and other officials.
After protesters began to gather at the University of Chile, Carabineros arrested 2 students both purported to be minors. They also began to pepper-spray journalists and innocent bystanders at the intersection at Alameda and Ahumada, with another contingent of protesters arriving at Santa Lucia.
After protesters began to gather at the University of Chile, Carabineros arrested 2 students both purported to be minors. They also began to pepper-spray journalists and innocent bystanders at the intersection at Alameda and Ahumada, with another contingent of protesters arriving at Santa Lucia.
Water Cannon No. 66 then began to shoot chemically tainted water at demonstrators, which could be seen bubbling and laced with a white chemical as it drained into gutters. The Alameda was meanwhile blockaded completely by dozens of demonstrators near the University of Chile, as protesters continued to gather near Cerro Huelen.
Extremely strong clashes were also seen at Diagonal Paraguay.
Carabineros then began to carry out repression at the San Antonio and Alameda intersection, spraying chemical water cannons at demonstrators.
Protesters then began to set up shield walls in order to properly block chemically tainted water from being shot at them as well as kicking back any tear gas that was launched.
Demonstrators then moved downtown into the Agustinas/San Antonio intersection and the San Antonio/Presidential Palace intersection.
Protesters threw a Molotov cocktail at a passing Carabinero truck at the intersection at Alameda with Diagonal Paraguay. The Itau bank on San Antonio was also looted and set on fire before Carabineros arrived and put it out.
Protesters then began intense clashes with Carabineros in the streets of San Antonio while the bank was being looted, with water cannons being deployed by police and tear gas flying down from hundreds of meters in the air.
The Carabineros were then seen charging and assaulting the Newen medic brigade, beating and pepper-spraying several at the intersection of Alameda and London.
Clashes meanwhile continued in the Alameda, with water cannons being used against hundreds of demonstrators continuing to face off with riot police, with eventually all but a few dozen leaving dispersing and going home for the next day of the national mobilization in Chile for the amnesty of political prisoners.
Protesters then wrapped up the night by throwing a Molotov cocktail at a caravan of police vehicles seen to be carrying Carabineros, hitting several and leaving a blazing fire in the road that the rest of the cars had to drive through.
