Colombia erupts in struggle against police murder

A popular uprising against police violence has broken out across Colombia following the shockingly brutal murder of Javier Ordóñez in Bogotá on September 8. In footage taken by witnesses that quickly spread and outraged the nation, Ordóñez was pinned to the ground and shocked over and over with a taser. Ordóñez, who was unarmed, repeatedly begged the officers to stop but the police showed no mercy. He was eventually taken into custody and beaten further before dying in the early hours of September 9. Since the killing, large protests have taken place every night. While the uprising began in Bogotá, the capital city, the movement quickly spread to other major population centers to become a truly nationwide phenomenon. Police responded to the demonstrations with deadly repression. At least 7 protesters have been confirmed killed by police, and more than 200 have been injured. The cops’ violence was so over the top that their actions were even denounced by the mayor of Bogotá, who remarked that by shooting live ammunition into crowds the police “disobeyed express and public instructions from the Mayor’s Office, so who do they obey? Justice, action and reform are urgently needed!” People have fought back with militant action. 17 police outposts were burned down on Wednesday night alone, and 194 cops were reportedly injured. The revolt poses a serious challenge to the rule of President Ivan Duque, who represents a far-right current in Colombian politics connected with the country’s notorious death squads and supported by the United States. Read the full article here: https://www.liberationnews.org/colombia-erupts-in-struggle-against-police-murder/