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Bogotá completed two days yesterday in the middle of demonstrations, which woke up after the death of Law student Javier Ordóñez, in an action in which police officers used a taser pistol several times against him, who died shortly after in a hospital.
Several peaceful mobilizations ended in riots, which left the most tragic records in the recent history of the city. They were even worse than those of November 22, 2019, amid the national strike and the protest over the death of the young Dilan Cruz, during an action by an Esmad member in the center of Bogotá.
The excesses of the night of Wednesday, September 9, as reported by the Mayor’s Office, left 10 dead by firearm -7 in Bogotá and 3 in Soacha-, 66 injured by firearm, 12 by knife and 97 injured by another type of weapons. In addition, 114 soldiers were injured. But, apart, 39 CAI were vandalized, 12 of them burned and destroyed, and 78 articulated TransMilenio buses were affected (nine of which ended up burned).
(Also read: Video: Esmad agent fights with police to defend a citizen)
Yesterday the demonstrations continued. There were riots in sectors such as Villa Luz, Suba Rincón and the North Portal. In addition, at least five CAIs were attacked and those of La Gaitana and El Verbenal were set on fire.
According to the District Security Secretariat, 40 concentrations were registered on Wednesday and yesterday, at the close of this edition, there were another 16.
But beyond who could be behind the violent actions and vandalism during the concentrations of both days, which have been questioned by both the district and national authorities, The question that has arisen is how to prevent the fury of protesters from putting Bogotá back in a similar situation.
Citizens walk home due to the closure of TransMilenio after the protests on Thursday.
Néstor Gómez / THE TIME
On Thursday, Mayor Claudia López called for calm and serenity, after the riots caused, among other things, that the TransMilenio system only operated until 8 at night.
The president invited those who want to exercise their right to protest to do so from the windows of their apartments and balconies, on social networks or in virtual forums, and recalled that the covid-19 pandemic is still in the capital.
Insistently, López pointed out to the Police for the indiscriminate use of firearms and called for a reform of the institution, which yesterday reported that the patrols linked to that fact had already been separated from their positions.
(Also: Questions still unanswered after the night of violence in Bogotá)
However, experts consulted by EL TIEMPO agreed that what happened was the product of social unrest caused by various causes that have been accumulating. They warn of concern that acts of vandalism and violence can be experienced again in the city.
It was an incitement from a central level, very organized, so that calls were given in different parts of the city to destroy Police equipment
Among the causes of the excesses would be the preventive isolation of five months due to the pandemic, the cases of abuse of authority by some policemen, an alleged lack of results in those investigations, infiltration of criminal organizations, political interests and even the rejection of the massacres that occurred in various regions weeks ago.
Daniel Mejía, former Secretary of Security of Bogotá, considers that what happened was not a spontaneous and disorganized action, but rather “it was an incitement from a central level, very organized, for calls to be given in different parts of the city to destroy equipment of police”. Mejía affirms that these situations can be avoided with greater coordination between the national and district governments and a message of support to the Police, which in quarantine had to assume tasks of controlling citizens, when it was a health issue.
(Also: Patrolmen linked to the Ordóñez case were removed from the Police)
A different position has Johan Avendaño, a public policy analyst. In his opinion, it was “a legitimate expression” of citizens who do not feel that their demands have an echo, and of disagreement with the excesses committed by members of the Public Force. It considers necessary a reform of the Police and it is urgent to adopt channels of dialogue with citizens.
In the afternoon there were acts of vandalism in the Villa Luz sector.
César Melgarejo / THE TIME
For his part, Isaac Morales, from the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation, considers that it is necessary that “the ordinary citizen who participates in the peaceful mobilization enters to purify those groups of people who are doing damage to the demonstration, which is effectively legitimate ”.
Sergio Guarín, director of Reconciliation Colombia, adds that the pandemic postponed a social climate of unrest and protest that came from 2019 and is pending adequate treatment. “It is important to do acts of recognition and to be more transparent every day. Only if citizens can see and understand the mechanisms of the Police from within, can legitimacy and trust be rebuilt ”.
Political analyst Jairo Libreros described the events as an “outbreak resulting from the hangover left by popular discontent, the coronavirus, authoritarian confinement, police abuse and criminal opportunism.” He insisted that we must listen to citizen demands, guarantee the validity of human rights in the actions of the Police and that, at least in Bogotá, this institution is really in the hands of Mayor Claudia López.
(We suggest you read: Forensic evidence will determine the course of the case for the death of a lawyer)
Marches and excesses in other capitals
The outrage over the case of police abuse in which the lawyer Javier Ordóñez died in Bogotá was also felt in other capitals of the country. In addition to the harangues demanding justice and changes in this force, there were some excesses.
Medellín saw the second day of protests with clashes between protesters and the police in the center of the city. According to reports, there were road blockades and vandalism against the Metroplús works on Oriental Avenue were reported.
(Also: Prosecutor’s Office asks the Ministry of Defense for explanations for events in protests)
Meanwhile, in Barranquilla, the demonstration also had heated spirits. There were clashes with the Police, attacks on Transmetro bus stops and buses, as well as damage to the facades of national companies. In Cali, the protest had its most serious focus on Fifth Street, in the south of the city, where protesters attacked the CAI of the sector and clashes with Esmad were recorded.
DRAFTING BOGOTÁ
TIME
