CHILE: Striking students break off talks

Leaders of Chile's striking students broke off negotiations with the government last week, complaining of official intransigence over their demands for free public education, writes Eva Vergara for Associated Press. Hours after the talks collapsed, a student march for free education was broken up by police, using water cannons and tear gas.

Camila Vallejo, a spokesperson for leaders of students at 25 state universities, said government officials showed "no real willingness to build a free public education, of quality and democracy for everyone".

Education Minister Felipe Bulnes said after more than four hours of talks the two sides "have made no major progress" because of disagreements on how much the government can do to provide free education for everyone. He said the government would form a commission of experts to examine the issue.

After the talks broke down, Associated Press reported in another article by Federico Quilodran, a huge deployment of riot police surrounded students in Plaza Italia, Santiago's traditional gathering place, where Vallejo tried to lead the march while holding a sign saying "United and stronger," only to be pummelled by water cannons and forced to retreat by tear gas. Protesters hurled rocks at police and set blockades ablaze in the streets as officers on horseback chased students onto nearby campuses.
Full report on the Seattle PI site