MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile students clash with police

Police have fired water cannons and tear gas at protesters supporting a nationwide strike by high school students to demand reforms in Chile's education law, including a federal takeover to reduce inequality between rich and poor schools.

The government said at least 12 people were injured in yesterday's clashes, including two police officers and three reporters. Nearly 400 demonstrators were arrested.

Protest leaders had urged students to remain inside their schools without attending classes, a decision supported by many teachers, parents and politicians, but shortly after noon, hundreds of students attempted to march.

Masked young men threw rocks and erected barricades at some key road junctions, and police responded with water cannons and tear gas.

The clashes lasted until dusk, as police dispersed demonstrators who repeatedly regrouped.

Authorities and leaders of the students' movement said the masked men were infiltrators, who succeeded in blocking traffic at Alameda, Santiago's main avenue, for more than four hours.

The protests spread to several other cities, but by sunset calm had been restored, Deputy Interior Minister Felipe Harboe said.

Nearly 600,000 public high school students joined the stoppage, which also won support from students at many private schools, including the one attended by the younger daughter of President Michelle Bachelet.

The strength of the students movement has surprised many in Chile, and is seen as the first major conflict faced by the government of Socialist Bachelet, inaugurated on March 11.

By the end of the day, talks between the government and students had progressed, Education Minister Martin Zilic said. He said talks would resume today, but did not elaborate. Several students confirmed the talks.

The students began with modest demands such as reduced fares on public transportation and the elimination of a fee for an exit exam that lets them apply for college. They demanded that three hours recently added to the school day be dedicated to sports, the arts or other activities.

The movement spread from Santiago to the provinces and the demands expanded to include deep reforms of the country's education law, which was issued by former dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet a day before he left office in 1990.

The law assigns responsibility for public education to municipalities, which critics say breeds inequality because of regional differences in available resources. A monthly government subsidy per student does not compensate, they say.

"We want the state to be the only guarantor and administrator of public education," said Javier Romero, a leader of the movement. "Only that would ensure equality."