The mass protest in Columbia is still going on the seventh day as well. This is all due to the call of attention of several international groups and celebrities. The violence that has resulted in at least 24 deaths and left many protesters injured. On Wednesday, the ombudsman of Columbia state reported that 23 civilians and a police officer were killed in the protests that started April 28.
The current agitation was originally sparked by the Colombian President Ivan Duque last month. The government mainly made an attempt to pass a tax reform bill, which aimed at mitigating the country’s economic crisis. Further, this bill would raise taxes on some essential items and public services. However, Duque eliminated this bill for now seeing the current devastating situations.
The protests have distorted themselves into a extreme movements, which are focused on fighting poverty exacerbated by the pandemic and police brutality. Also, the activists claim that the protest now has been encountered with aggressive resistance and deadly force from authorities. There is a drew condemnation in the response from law enforcement in Colombia from the international groups.
The Amnesty International revealed a video to spotlight the instances of excessive police force during the protests. This also includes a clip in which the group claims officers fired lethal rounds at a crowd of protesters in Cali. The Human Rights Officer of the the United Nation’s Office said it is “deeply alarmed” by reports of police shootings, and reminded Colombian authorities of their responsibility to “protect human rights.”
Also, the Amnesty International tweeted that Colombian authorities “must respect human rights.” The organization stated, “The people’s discontent at inequality in Colombia should not be labeled as ‘vandalism and terrorism,’ nor should it be used as an excuse for violent repression.”
The protest has now included the famous personalities such as Canadian pop star Justin Bieber and Colombian music stars such as Shakira, Maluma and J Balvin, who are concerned about the situation in their home country.
