Chile police clash with student protesters in Santiago

Police have clashed with protesters in the Chilean capital, Santiago, during a demonstration in support of public education.

Students and education sector workers took to streets on Tuesday to rally against the government’s education reforms. The demonstration was organized by the Confederation of Chilean Students.

The protesters said the reforms promised only for poor students by President Michelle Bachelet did not fulfill her electoral promise to grant free education for all.

The protesters held banners in support of “public education” and against the “government’s inefficiency and the opportunism of the right-wing.”

They also hanged a giant banner at the university of Chile’s front door that read “Another democracy. Free and quality public education.”

The demonstration turned violent after protesters threw bottles, rocks and firecrackers at police officers who responded with water cannon.