Night of Repression Leaves 11 People Injured in Bogota

By teleSUR

31 May 21

Colombia's President Duque continues to ignore international calls to stop police brutality.

olombia's Mobile Anti-Riot Squadron (ESMAD) agents on Sunday cracked down on a peaceful protest at the Portal Resistencia metro station in Bogota, leaving at least 11 people injured.

Witnesses said the officers threw gas grenades and shot at protesters with firearms. In the Chicala neighborhood, police forces also assaulted citizens who were not taking part in the protests.

On Monday morning, human rights defenders denounced that at least four people were detained during the previous night. They added that similar to what has happened in Cali and Popayan, armed men shot at the demonstrators from private vehicles.

The violent incidents occurred a few hours after President Ivan Duque's representatives and protest leaders met without reaching agreements.

During the meeting, the National Strike Committee (CPN) demanded an end to the militarization of the streets while the government insisted on increasing security force deployment as a strategy to contain the protests.

The Duque administration has ignored the call of international human rights organizations for an end to police brutality. So far, authorities have only recognized 2 out of the 43 deaths attributed to police brutality.

"The National Strike continues. We will carry out the largest, most organized, and peaceful mobilizations in our history in the upcoming days. Change must happen today," CPN stated.