The demonstrations began earlier this week as a campaign by high school students, who jumped subway turnstiles to protest the second fare increase this year. But Friday night, demonstrators set fire to a dozen subway stations, several banks, buses and the headquarters of the country’s largest electricity provider, Enel Looters stormed into supermarkets, stores and pharmacies. The state of emergency declared by Piñera imposes restrictions on citizens’ right to move about and assemble freely, and it gives the army authority over internal security. Piñera had announced earlier in the week that he would try to find ways to mitigate rising transportation costs. On Friday afternoon, as hundreds of people stormed into subway stations without paying, the protests spilled into the streets.

Source: bd News24 October 19, 2019 05:14 UTC