"Young Combatant's Day" ends with 47 arrests

SANTIAGO.- This morning, Metropolitan Intendent Igor Garafulic gave a preliminary assessment of yesterday's "Día del Joven Combatiente" ("Young Combatant's Day") demonstrations.

During an interview with Radio Cooperativa, the regional authority indicated that the day ended with a toll of six injured police officers –five by bullets and one by pellets-, as well as 47 arrests during last night's events.

Garafulic stated that the most unfortunate situation occurred in Pudahuel, where a 10 year-old girl, identified as Katia Rojas Mora, lost her right eye after being hit by a bullet that may have been fired by police. The incident is currently being investigated by the police force to determine who was responsible.

According to the Intendent, the most serious situation developed in San Bernardo, where a police department building was attacked by close to 200 people.

Igo Garfulic stressed that the cultural and political events were carried out without complications and said that the disturbances began after 10:00 pm.

Furthermore, the Intendent called attention to the work done by the National Police Force and the Bureau of Police Investigations (PDI), indicating that this year the number of arrests was much lower that that of 2008, when 800 people were detained.