Chilean Police Dismantle Student Protests Ahead of Primaries
Chilean Police Dismantle Student Protests Ahead of Primaries
June 28, 2013, 5:32 p.m. ET
By GRACIELA IBÁÑEZ
SANTIAGO, Chile—Police have evicted protesting students from the public schools that will be used as polling stations for Sunday's primary elections in Chile, making at least 150 arrests as the government sought to restore order.
Students dissatisfied with government efforts to address shortcomings in the education system have stepped up their protests in recent weeks, after reaching a high point in 2011 when tens of thousands marched through the streets of the largest cities.
Police estimated that around 1,600 students were evicted Thursday from schools, mostly in the capital, where they had barricaded themselves. Some of the schools had been occupied for a month.
Officials defended the police action. "It's the government's responsibility to guarantee a normal electoral process, and never let a minority keep an electoral process from being carried out," Interior Minister Andrés Chadwick said.
More:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324328204578573990429481394.html