Story By: Jonathan Macias, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
Video Credit: CEN/@Cathy99052
This is the moment a protester is repeatedly run over by several policemen on their motorbikes during the current popular uprising in Chile.
The incident took place during a protest in the city of Vina del Mar in the Valparaiso Province in central Chile and was recorded by an onlooker.
In the video, the unnamed protester dives in front of one of the officers on a motorbike.
He then trips and falls as he tries to get to his feet and another policeman on his motorbike appears to drives over him.
Another motorbike cop then drives into him on the ground before two women pick him up and confront the police officer who is seen reversing his motorbike- The women are heard shouting “let him go”.
The Regional Director of the Human Rights National Institute (INDH) Fernando Martinez told local media: “It is excessive use of force that has no justification.”
The INDH are reportedly trying to contact the man in the video and they are considering filing a complaint against the local police.
The use of extreme force against protesters by local authorities have been reported before by local media.
Last week a soldier was spotted using a 17-year-old student as a human shield during a protest in the central Chilean region of O’Higgins, with the Attorney General’s Office in the region filing a criminal complaint against the official and launching an investigation over the case.
The Chilean government and the opposition have agreed this Friday on calling a referendum on April 2020 to ask the people if they want a new Constitution to replace the current one approved by the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship (1973-1990).
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