They alert aggressions by the Mobile Anti-riot Squadron ?Esmad? towards the civilian population during the peaceful day.
Update: According to the first reports, clashes are reported in Usme, locality number 5 of Bogota.
In Puerto Resistencia and Loma de la Dignidad and in a large part of Cali, the Esmad has responded with violent attacks against the civilian population with gunfire and tear gas that have left one person dead and one injured.
Likewise, in Bogota, the number of injured people is reported to rise to more than 10.
Christian Carlos. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
The organization Global Exchange published an open letter addressed to the President of the Government of Colombia, Ivan Duque, and the commanders of the National Police of Colombia before the celebration of the 211 years of the Independence of Colombia. The national strike Committee urged sectors of the population s mobilize in the streets to continue the protests arising from the national strike that began on April 28. Since the early hours of Tuesday, demonstrations have been held at strategic points of the country.
In this sense, the letter signed by the executive board of Global Exchange, refers that "social organizations, free citizens and young people" promised to protest peacefully on an important date in the history of Colombia as a nation. Therefore, Global Exchange urged "the Colombian government and local authorities to respect the constitutional rights" of freedom of expression, freedom of movement, the full right to demonstrate, "but above all the right to life, integrity and dignity".
However, local media reported riots in Puerto Resistencia and Loma de la Dignidad by the Esmad ?Escuadrón Móvil Antidisturbios? in Cali with the use of tear gas at 16:40 local time. The Colombian Government Secretariat justified the acts by alleged attacks on the facilities of Portal Americas, which resulted in a confrontation between Esmad and members of Primera Linea.
In addition, users on social networks report as a balance, a person killed by shooting and one injured by the police forces of Colombia in the neighborhood of Los Alcazares in Cali.
At the same time, Ivan Duque said on his Twitter account: "We pay tribute to the families of our heroes and those of all Colombians who have lost loved ones to the pandemic and violence".
In which he also showed his support for the Colombian Armed Forces and the National Police: "Colombia must reject violence, wherever it comes from. And we reiterate that our #FuerzaPública is subject to the highest human rights standards. Therefore, we support it, we strengthen it, and we also demand it. #ColombiaNoSeDetiene," he said.
The protests originated when the president of Colombia, Ivan Duque, announced a new tax reform that would strongly impact the economy of the disadvantaged classes of the nation, which led young people, peasants, indigenous, and Afro-descendants to demonstrate in different parts of the country to demand better living conditions for the economically vulnerable sectors of Colombia who demand equal access to education, quality health services, and decent jobs.
These demonstrations turned violent when the government of Iván Duque ordered the Colombian police force to repress the protests by using weapons against the civilian population; according to the organization Temblores.Since April 28th, there have been 228 situations in which the Colombian National Police have used their weapons against the demonstrating population, so now, in the protests, the Duque government is also demanding justice for the victims whose human rights have been violated by the state in which many people have lost their lives or have been left with life-long injuries.
In the face of violence by Colombian police forces, Global Exchange reports, protesters have had to rely on "the use of protective gear such as helmets, gloves, goggles and shields" to protect themselves; however, the National Police prohibits the wearing of these items during protests.
Finally, Global Exchange recognizes that the police forces under Duque's command have generated "multiple victims and complaints" brought to local, national and international authorities about excessive use of force and alleged accusations "that attempt to criminalize social protest".
