Boy’s fall from bridge mars protest

SANTIAGO: A protest in the Chilean capital, Santiago, on Saturday was marred by a controversial incident when a teenage boy fell from a bridge into a river during police clashes, demonstrators alleging security forces were to blame.

Video of the fall into the shallow river went viral in the country, which almost exactly a year ago was rocked by huge protests that left 31 dead and thousands injured and jailed. The country’s children’s Ombudsman tweeted it was planning to file a complaint of ‘‘attempted homicide’’ over the video, which it said showed police throwing the boy into the bed of the Mapocho River.

The boy was admitted to a nonrisk care centre.

Chile’s Government said yesterday it had ordered an investigation and the officer involved be removed from his duties while that probe was being carried out.