Protesters in Chile burned two churches Sunday night, after anti-government protests in the capital city of Santiago became violent.
Videos showed masked protesters setting La Asuncion church on fire, as well as San Francisco Borja church, a 19th-century church that the city police department uses for official ceremonies. Protesters cheered as the flaming spire of La Asuncion crashed to the ground.
#ATENCION un año del estallido social en #Chile ?? manifestantes quemaron este domingo la Iglesia Institucional de Carabineros, ubicada las inmediaciones del parque San Borja en Santiago y lo saquearon para hacer barricadas. #ElPolitico #18Oct pic.twitter.com/uVhXbv1T18
— El Político (@elpoliticonews) October 19, 2020
The Chilean government condemned the burnings as an “expression of brutality.”
“Today, we must lament the violent acts, but we will confront them,” said Interior Minister Victor Perez in a speech as the rioting continued.
The protests, which lasted all day, began peacefully but became increasingly violent as night fell. They were held in commemoration of protests last year against the Chilean Constitution, which was implemented in 1980 under the authoritarian regime of Augusto Pinochet.
Chile is set to hold a referendum on the Constitution later in October.
