Chilean students protesting for educational reforms have been rallying since April and in this video shot and edited by David Vega we can see how they stop a group of masked people who wanted to make barricades and light them on fire. Even as the would be arsonists tried to convince them that violence was the only way, the students through reasoned arguments and chants told those who hid their faces and turned to violence that they should leave.
MANIFESTANTES DETIENEN A ENCAPUCHADOS from Cinefilia on Vimeo.
It is in the students' best interest not to give the government or military reasons to act violently towards them, as they've done these previous days. The students have been forcefully controlled with water cannons, tear gas and even being wrangled like cattle by armed forces on horseback. Many Chileans are upset at this show of brute force against students asking for necessary changes in their educational system, made even more relevant as the London Riots make people rethink youth unemployment and education. Support for students is being shown not only through social networks but also on the streets with “cacerolazos”, pot banging demonstrations scheduled for every evening at 9:00pm. We can see the August 4th cacerolazo in this other video.
Cacerolazo 4 agosto 2011 from Jonathan Bravo on Vimeo.