Several clashes between demonstrators and the police took place during rallies in Bogotá and several regions of the country, in the context of a day of protest in Colombia, where isolated cases of repression were reported.
One More Social Leader Killed In Colombia, 21 So Far in 2020
The most serious incident happened in Bogota, when a group of demonstrators confronted the police at the Suba pass, after the authorities tried to lift a barricade intalled on the road by the protesters.
In addition, the organization, Campaign to Defend Freedom, denounced repression by police officers against the protesters in different clash points .
"A young man was injured by the ESMAD on the pedestrian bridge of the Mandalay Transmillenium Station", they said
With multiple traumas he was taken to a medical center. The public forces cannot directly target demonstrators," they added.
#Colombia Avanza la marcha del #Paro21E hacia la Plaza de Bolívar en #Bogota #21eElParoContinua se canta en as calles "a parar para avanzar, viva el paro nacional" y "esto no es un gobierno son los paracos en el poder" pic.twitter.com/6ie5E2nOyN
— Alioscia (@alioscia_castro) January 21, 2020
#Colombia The march of #Strike21Jan towards Plaza de Bolívar advances in #Bogota #21JanStrikeContinues is sung in the streets "stop to advance, long live the national strike" and "this is not a government, it's the paracos in power"
The organization also denounced another incident in Medellín as "ESMAD intervened in an unjustified and disproportionate manner.
So far there are three people detained and several injured", they added.
Workers, students, indigenous people and activists took the streets of Colombia to carry out a protest against the assassination of social leaders, the abuses of the police and the social policies of the government, among other demands.
This is the first protest of the year, after the massive demonstrations in November and December against the social and economic measures of President Ivan Duque's government.
The president of the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores, Diógenes Orjuela, stated that the demonstrations were a statement against the assassination of social leaders, the scandals of alleged ilegal followings and the repression of the Esmad (Police).
In addition, the leader said that the real agenda of the mobilization will come out of a meeting they will have on January 30th and 31st with social organizations and unions.
Orjuela said that, in this meeting, the negotiations that have not been initiated with the government will be refined and a public declaration will be made to show the vision they have for the country.