Protests sweep across continents
People, cops clash over issues like subway ticket price rise, separatism, austerity measures
SANTIAGO: Chile’s president declared a state of emergency in Santiago on Friday night and gave the military responsibility for security after a day of violent protests over an increase in the price of metro tickets.
Throughout Friday, protestors clashed with riot police in several parts of the capital and the subway system was shut after attacks on stations in some of the worst violence the city has seen in years. At least 16 buses were torched and a dozen metro stations totally destroyed.
Around midnight President Sebastian Pinera declared a state of emergency and appointed Major General Javier Iturriaga del Campo as head of national defense.
“The objective of this state of emergency is very simple but very profound: to ensure public order and peace for the inhabitants of Santiago,” Pinera said in a statement. The state of emergency is initially for 15 days and restricts freedom of movement and assembly.
The unrest started as a faredodging protest mainly by students against the hike in metro ticket prices, which increased from 800 to 830 peso ($1.13 to $1.17) for peak-hour travel.
DON’T VIOLATE LAWS, WARNS SPAIN’S PM
MADRID:Acting Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez said his government was working to ensure that laws were “upheld inside and outside” Spain’s borders.
Sanchez spoke on Friday in connection with the violent protests taking place in the Catalan region over the past four days.
“The law is clear and those who commit an illegal act have to answer for it,” commented Sanchez on the day that saw former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont turn himself in to the Belgian authorities after Spain reissued an international arrest warrant for him for his role in the 2017 referendum and the subsequent unilateral declaration of independence in the Catalan region.
The past four days have now seen over 100 people arrested in clashes in Barcelona between security forces and violent groups of demonstrators.