Curfew Decreed in Bogotá after Vandalism and Chaos Follow Mass Protests

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The mayor of Bogotá, Enrique Peñalosa, decreed a curfew from 9 PM (local time) throughout the city after the acts of vandalism that occurred in some areas.

One day after a massive demonstration in the country, the capital was divided between two overlapping sounds: the pot-banging of peaceful citizens that were repeated on Friday afternoon and the stun grenades from the police, who throughout the day faced acts of vandalism and looting that wreaked havoc, particularly in the south of the city.

“We must categorically reject any form of violence,” said President Iván Duque in a televised message early Friday evening.

The president, who had not spoken during the day except for some announcements on Twitter, headed a special cabinet and visited the Unified Command Post to coordinate the security forces. In addition, he said that he had asked mayors nationwide to take the appropriate measures to safeguard order, including a dry law and curfew whenever called for.

The decision, which restricts freedom of movement, was taken moments after the mayor of the Colombian capital decreed this measure in three popular areas: the districts of Bosa, Ciudad Bolívar and Keneddy. In Bogotá, the measure is implemented an hour earlier than in other cities: at 8:00 PM. At least 146 people have been arrested so far.

Over the course of Friday, there were attacks on Transmilenio stations, the capital’s main public transport system, the looting of supermarkets and clashes with the police. “What we have is a horde of delinquents destroying the property of all citizens, who plunder and steal, who want to wipe out the city. They are a minority,” Peñalosa said on Friday afternoon.

In total, 76 Transmilenio stations were attacked and partially destroyed, as well as 79 buses from the Integrated Transport System (SITP), which run in the neighborhoods. Through his Twitter account, Duque supported the measure. “We seek to preserve order and security in these areas, with the presence of the police and the national army”.

While the shock troops are still trying to disperse these groups that have sown the chaos in the south of the country, thousands of Bogotans are walking for long hours to get to their homes due to the full suspension of the Transmilenio. Others travel on crowded buses or even hanging out, while some climb on trucks attempting to get to the south of the city.

Amid the tension, a group of protesters led a peaceful pot-banging demonstration in Bolívar Square, which was dispersed by police with tear gas. Many Bogotans joined in this protest with their pots in other neighborhoods in the center and north of the city.