MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gunshot wounds and hundreds arrested in protests.

Two policemen and one civilian sustained gunshot wounds before dawn Saturday in protests against U.S President George W. Bush and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) summit taking place in Santiago de Chile, reported Carabineros.

The protests with a final count of 17 people injured and hundreds arrested, included setting barricades on fire and assaults on police forces by hooded demonstrators.

More than 30,000 people took part in Friday's demonstrations, some of which escalated into violent clashes, and 100 people ended up behind bars.

Most of the late-night disturbances took place in Santiago rough neighbourhoods with a long history of violence. In the municipality of Estacion Central, armed hooded protesters wounded a gas station manager in the leg. At La Victoria, in southern Santiago, a Carabineros captain was shot in the arm and another member of the force was shot in the face.

According to Carabineros sources during the early hours and morning of Saturday a total of 17 policemen were wounded in the clashes with 189 protesters arrested.

Friday night, Deputy Interior Minister Jorge Correa Sutil said 130 protesters were being held, including three German and two U.S citizens.