Churches burnt as Chile protest anniversary turns violent

Chileans took to streets to protest to mark the one year anniversary of the demonstrations that rocked the country last year with reports of at least two churches being torched on Sunday.

The demonstration comes just a week before the country votes in a referendum to replace the constitution. As people gathered at Plaza Italia which was largely peaceful, the protests turned violent with reports of looting and vandalism as one church near Plaza Italia was burnt.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Firefighters fought to get the blaze under control as protesters defaced a statue with red paint amid the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the country which has claimed 13,600 lives with at least 490,000 infected.

President Sebastian Pinera had earlier called for peaceful protests.

The protests last year had broken after a hike in metro fare and then turned into an all-out anti-government protest against rising inequality in the country as supermarkets were looted and buses set ablaze even as the riot police fired tear gas and used water cannons to control the crowd.

The protesters last year had clashed with riot officers hurling rocks and projectiles with slingshots with several police officers hurt in the encounter.

The country has been reeling under the coronavirus pandemic as the government earlier announced a $12 billion economic stimulus package to overcome the effects of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Chilean government was earlier criticised for lax lockdown measures as the virus spread in the country.