Newspaper article: Two major protests in Bogota, spreads all over Cundinamarca

: ~ : LA NUEVA GRANADA : ~ :

~ 10 February 1828  ::: ~ ::: Publicación #7 ~

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Two major protests in Bogota, spreads all over Cundinamarca

Tonio Peinado 

BOGOTA, Nueva Granada - Over the last week, tensions in the streets have increased. More protests are popping up and they are starting to spread throughout the department of Cundinamarca. 

Two protests in particular are worthy of mention. The first one took place on Monday in Bogota and escalated into violence almost immediately. Police tried to intervene but were struggling to put up the necessary force. After about 5 hours of looting and street fights, they broke up the protests into several groups and shortly after the fighting ceased. There are 15 confirmed deaths and well over 100 injured. Arrests have been made of nearly 50 protestors. No policemen were hurt.

What escalated the protests remains unclear. Rumours among the local population claim that violence was incited by the police who mocked and provoked the protesters. 

The second one took place two days after-- a criollos counterprotest was staged in response to the first, with the police officers largely lenient. However, there were reports of a small militant group of mestizos hijacking this event and attacking the crowd. The incident has led to the police attempting to disperse the protest in order to catch these militants, with only a few being caught and immediately sentenced to lynching.

It is unclear whether these militants acted in isolation or whether they received orders from someone.

The other spreading incidents of protests have been much smaller and mostly peaceful but it is only a question of time until they reach the level of previous violence. It is abundantly clear that this will not resolve itself. You can taste the anger in the streets in the air. Both sides crave blood. 

Many want to shape the narrative. They have called for my death, tried to threaten me. Called for my lynching. I will not be quieted. I will keep providing the information you deserve.

Tonio Peinado