Chilean High School Students Protest in Underwear

PROVIDENCIA — As clashes between secondary students and police continue in Chile, the students took to the streets in a new fashion. In order to protest the violent evictions of schools en toma, approximately 500 students took to the streets of Providencia in their underwear. Schools involved in this new protest including Liceo Lastarria, Liceo 7 and Carmela Carvajal, among others.

During the months of protest in 2011, Chilean students captured the attention of the world with various offbeat themes for the protests, including a mass interpretation of Michael Jackson’sThrillerand a day of kissing in order to protest the education system.

Some students marched to the Providencia Municipality building in their underpants, hoping to deliver a message to Providencia Mayor Cristían Labbé.

This morning saw the retoma of Instituto Nacional in the center of Santiago. In the ensuing dislodgement, over 100 students were arrested. Guillermo Pérez, president of the school’s teachers union claimed, “The violence used today was completely unconstitutional. The way police acted today would not have happend during the dictatorship. The teachers will meet to decide on a course of action.”

Chilean students strip to protest for education. Photo: Carolina Gallardo via Twitpic

During his visit to Chillán, Chile’s President Sebastián Piñera commented on the protests.

“The real way forward, to buid on rock, not sand, is based on dialogue and agreement,” said the president. He added, “Those who think they can go above the law, that they think they can use violence to achieve their goals are not only going the wrong way, they are violating the right of other citizens to live in peace.”

Universidad Católica student leader Noam Titleman comment on the call for dialogue from the government. The FEUC leader claimed, “We belive the government calls for dialogue, but with  gun in the drawer.”

The CONES group presented a proposal to authorities on Monday. The Compendium of Student Demands and Proposals calls for education to be treated as a good of public education and for every Chilean to have the right to a quality education.