Bogotá experienced its third day of protests against police brutality with riots

The protests in Bogotá against police brutality, which arose after the death of lawyer Javier Ordóñez during a police intervention, will meet for three consecutive days this Friday, demonstrations in which disturbances have also been registered on this day.

Colombia’s Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (ESMAD) has used stun bombs and tear gas to disperse crowds of about a hundred people who have tried to set fire to the Immediate Action Command (CAI) of the Villa Luz National Police, where Ordóñez died as a result of a beating suffered inside, according to the investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office.

The situation, however, is already under control, although some citizens have denounced that some police officers have turned their uniform jackets around and attacked the protesters, has reported the local newspaper ‘The viewer’.

The protests in Bogotá, which have also included peaceful mobilizations and wakes, have been accompanied by violent actions in which, as reported by the mayor of the city, Claudia López, the Police have used firearms to contain the protesters, despite telling the uniformed men to refrain from their use.

The latest death toll during the demonstrations reported by the media stands at 13, while more than 400 people –209 civilians and 194 policemen – have been injured. In addition, various acts of vandalism have been registered, such as the burning of CAIs and buses.

López has assured that “what happened is an authentic massacre with the youths” of Bogotá, at the same time that he has revealed that, in addition to the deceased, 119 complaints have been received of attacks from police officers. “There are 72 gunshot wounds in 48 hoursIt is the most serious thing that has happened in Bogotá since the taking of the Palace of Justice ”, it has made ugly, according to ‘El Espectador’.

The president has met with the president of Colombia, Iván Duque, and the attorney Fernando Carrillo to give them recordings that show “clearly” members of the security forces “firing indiscriminately in different neighborhoods of the city.” “Uniformed policemen hiding their uniforms or alleged members of the civilian police shooting,” she has sentenced.

In this context, López has requested a structural reform of the Police to prevent similar cases from occurring in the future. However, according to her, Duque does not consider it necessary. Specifically, López has demanded that the Police be a civil body that does not have military training and that it responds to the public and the ordinary justice. The Attorney General’s Office, for its part, has been open to this possibility. “In Nariño they discard it, but not in the Attorney General’s Office,” he said.

On the other hand, López has called an act of reconciliation and forgiveness for this Sunday. “Bogotá needs an act of reconciliation, forgiveness, an amendment that rebuilds the trust that is the basis of authority”, has considered.

INVESTIGATION OF ABUSE

The Attorney General’s Office has already announced that it will investigate the alleged abuses committed by members of the National Police during the last two days of protest, after López has requested it.

Thus, he has asked the director of the Police, General Gustavo Moreno, a detailed inventory that includes the official records of the ammunition, type of firearm and non-lethal ones, and explosives used by the public force on Wednesday and Thursday.

The report must also contain an identification of each officer who used ammunition, as well as where they served. Finally, it has requested a copy of the reports of the events in which people were injured or killed, the list of the actions ordered and the state in which they are.

MORE THAN 140 DETAINED

For its part, Duque has reported that, in the last few hours, more than 140 people have been arrested for allegedly being involved in “acts of vandalism.” “We expect a process of prosecution and effective punishment,” said Duque during an intervention from Casa Nariño, stating that the Executive will carry out “the deportations that are necessary.”

In addition, he has reported that he has contacted some relatives of the victims and injured members of the Colombian Police. After that, he has insisted on “rejecting any expression of violence that affects both citizens and members of the security forces”.

Lastly, it has recognized the “gallant” attitude of the Colombian Police, which has separated the two agents involved in Ordóñez’s arrest and has suspended another five in order to advance the investigations of the case.

THE DEATH OF ORDÓÑEZ

Ordóñez, 42, died Tuesday after a controversial police intervention in the Engativá area. A video shows the use of laser guns against this man, who calls for help and demands that no more electric shocks be applied to him.

Investigators from the Colombian Prosecutor’s Office have concluded that he died as a result of a beating suffered inside the CAI of Villa Luz, according to a video he owns. In these facilities, he would have suffered several blows and, according to the investigators, the impacts received on the head ended up costing him his life.

(With information from Europa Press)

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