As Colombia continues to be rocked by large-scale anti-government protests and strikes, a police station was destroyed by rioters overnight.
The building, located in the city of Madrid in the central Cundinamarca region, was attacked by a mob of around 30 people on Monday night.
The officers retreated after what the media described as a siege, which lasted for more than five hours. The rioters erected barricades and set patrol motorcycles on fire before torching the police outpost, the Infobae news website reported.
Así quedó la estación de Policía del Sosiego en Madrid, Cundinamarca, luego de que fuera atacada por vándalos. Reportan varios uniformados heridos #VocesySonidospic.twitter.com/YFMVrnKjLP
According to Semana magazine, four officers and three civilians were injured. However, the Madrid mayor’s office released a statement saying that 14 people had been injured and several vehicles destroyed. The officials said ambulances had been vandalized and the life of health workers threatened.
“Violence and destruction cannot be normalized. Who doesn’t categorically reject violence is legitimizing it,” the mayor’s office said.
Rioting and clashes with police occurred on Monday in other cities, including the country’s capital, Bogota, where eight buses were set alight and six people detained. In Facatativa, a court building was set on fire for the second time since May.
Se vivía una fuerte represión por parte del ESMAD hacia los manifestantes en Colombia #ADuqueLeDiría#ParoNacional29J#lafotoquesubipic.twitter.com/XqqupRW7fJ
El derecho a la libre protesta en Colombia te hace ser un objetivo militar. #ParoNacional28Jpic.twitter.com/PPj839AM7R
Este es el momento cuando los colegas de Red Alterna son agredidos por personas de negro sin identificación que parecen ser integrantes del ESMAD.#ParoNacional#ParoNacional29J#PrimeraLineaAsesina#NoCuentenConmigopic.twitter.com/Zje1FWsdy2
#NoticiasW | En videos quedó registrado el momento en el que un uniformado del Esmad de la Policía agrede a un defensor de derechos humanos en la zona donde se registraban enfrentamientos en Popayán.También hay denuncias de ataques contra policías. Video: Cortesía Tiempo Real pic.twitter.com/tlzp54jESr
In Barranquilla, a group of protesters toppled a nearly 130-year-old statue of Christopher Columbus.
Hoy fue derrumbado el monumento a Cristóbal Colón en Barranquilla.La capital del Atlántico resiste y lucha también por resignificar la memoria histórica del país. #ParoNacional28Jpic.twitter.com/6g8Ky84VZh
Monday marked two months since massive protests and strikes against the policies of President Ivan Duque began. The unrest was triggered by a now-withdrawn tax reform proposal.
More than 60 people have died since the start of the unrest, according to Colombia’s ombudsman.
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