Santiago, Chili —
In the midst of a number of separate incidents, thousands of Chileans took to the streets Saturday night (9/9) to remember the prisoners who disappeared during the reign of dictator Augusto Pinochet in the past.
The demonstration was held on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the 1973 coup that installed Pinochet as military ruler from 1973-1990.
President Gabriel Boric and his counterpart, Irina Karamanos, joined the protesters when they arrived at the La Moneda Presidential Palace. The participation of a sitting president in such demonstrations, held in the decades leading up to September 11, is unusual.
Some demonstrators wearing head coverings threw flares and objects around La Moneda Palace, and tore down the palace fences. A number of commercial premises were looted and several shops were damaged. The police were forced to respond to this act of violence with water cannons.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or the number of those arrested. (em/hour)
