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Original article: Brutal saldo de la represión policial en marcha contra recortes de Kast: estudiante queda con múltiples fracturas y debe ser operada

Tragic Aftermath of Police Brutality During Student Protest Against Kast’s Cuts: Law Student Suffers Multiple Facial Fractures Needing Surgery

The fallout from the police repression during the protest held on Wednesday by students against the budget cuts imposed by the government of José Antonio Kast has left a law student from the University of Chile with multiple facial fractures requiring surgical intervention.

According to reports from Piensa Prensa, the student was arrested by Carabineros amidst the demonstration in Santiago, despite evident bleeding from her face.

The mobilizations were organized by the Confederation of Students of Chile (Confech), in both the capital and several cities nationwide, to advocate for student rights against the budget cuts inflicted by Kast, which impact educational development programs.

The protesters gathered at Plaza Baquedano, also known as Plaza Dignidad, and began to march peacefully westward. However, their path was blocked at the Alameda near London Street by a heavy police cordon. Later, near the Universidad Católica Metro station, the protest was violently dispersed by Carabineros, who used tear gas and water cannons.

Amidst this crackdown, the law student from U. de Chile was arrested, and social media footage showed that she was visibly beaten and bleeding.

According to the National Institute of Human Rights (INDH) of the Metropolitan Region, the injured student was admitted to a medical facility with serious injuries. Beatriz Contreras, the regional head of the organization, noted that they became aware of the complaint after the student was transferred to the former Posta Central.

«We were able to obtain her account of the events that affected her,» Contreras stated, although she cautioned that the testimony would need to be supplemented in the coming days due to the victim’s critical health condition. Hospital staff confirmed that the young woman required immediate surgical intervention.

Public Education Defense Cannot Be Met With Violence

In this context, the Federation of Students of the University of Chile (FECh) condemned the systematic repression during the march. Its president, Laura Mlynarz, reported that the university’s Legal Defense Office recorded approximately 30 arrests, while the Health Brigade attended to more than a dozen injured, five of whom were referred to emergency centers for serious injuries.

FECh Vice President Monserrat Lagos demanded a statement from the Minister of Education, María Paz Arzola, regarding the serious violations witnessed today on the streets. Lagos emphasized that the «defense of public education cannot be met with violence» and urged authorities to take responsibility, according to Bio Bío Chile.

Meanwhile, the president of the Teachers’ Union, Mario Aguilar, remarked that some minority groups instigated incidents, but warned they do not reflect the spirit of the mobilization.

Aguilar directly blamed the government for the recorded incidents, stating, «The government sought to provoke this situation to justify the repression,» he asserted.

The cited media outlet reported that neither Carabineros nor the Presidential Delegate of the Metropolitan Region has provided an official balance on the number of detainees from the march.

The brutality of the repression, epitomized by the injured student, raises a troubling question: how far is the government willing to go to silence those demanding education?

*Featured photo: Piensa Prensa.

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