May Day in Bogotá: Violent police repression


As usual, this May Day there was a massive demonstration in Bogotá, Colombia. Hundreds of people from a diverse range of social movements took the streets to fight against capitalism. Walking along with the workers, there were a lot of young anarchists that agitated their black flags and shouted for freedom while hearing rock bands in a non-violent attitude. Suddenly, when the demonstration reached one of the main streets of downtown Bogotá, the police started to throw tear gas to the anarchists without any reason. Soon there was an explosion and the police initiated a violent repression, hitting people with wooden sticks and shooting rubber bullets in all directions. In this moment a 15 year old, who was walking inside the anarchist block, was badly beaten up by various policemen. Nicolás David Neira Alvares was then surrounded by these savages and was beaten up until he lost conscience. Various comrades came to the rescue and they were able to take Nicolás to a hospital in the Westside of Bogotá. After that, he was taken to another hospital were he is still in critical conditions. He has a strong head trauma and minor contusions in his body. He was hit so hard in the head, that for now he can’t be operated. As it is expected, none of this reached the press.

In addition to this horrible event, there at least six people wounded with rubber bullets, one person wounded by “an explosive of dispersion” thrown by the police and various people received beatings in their heads, faces and bodies. Right now the unions and the anarchists are trying to organize a public sue, but there is the immediate need of an international divulgation of these events in order to denounce this hideous atrocity made by the police.





See pictures from the demo and the repression over here:

 http://www.simone.bruno.name/primo/index_8.htm

 http://colombia.indymedia.org/news/2005/05/24920.php

 http://perso.wanadoo.es/rompiendocabuyas/primerodemayo.htm



For more info in Spanish visit:
 http://www.colombia.indymedia.org
 http://www.nodo50.org/anarcol