Bogotá's Indignant Ones

Indignados: wearing a Guy Fawkes mask reminiscent of those protesting on Spanish streets and occupying Wall Street. I wonder what the Asian letters say?

The anti-capitalism protests which have occupied public spaces in Spain, Greece, Chile, the U.S. and many other nations may be landing in Bogotá. Striking university students have got classes suspended at many of the public universities and vow to stay on strike until the government gives up on a proposed university reform, called Law 30, which would permit private investment in public universities. Because the public universities are generally very leftist and anti-capitalist, they are wary of any sort of capitalism.

The government says it's taken many of the protesters' concerns into account, and that private funding will allow public university's to expand enrollment.

The march was mostly peaceful, apart from broken windows, until it reached Plaza Bolívar, where protesters clashed with police, who fired tear gas at the demonstaters. In the city of Cali one demonstrator when potato bombs he carried in his backpack exploded, according to El Tiempo. The protesters' most dramatic accomplishment today may have been painting the riot police. See photos here.

This girl was overwhelmed by her banner.

'Gross Domestic Product: 16% for war, 0.6% for education.'

In contrast to this guy's sign, according to this article, 15.6% of Colombia's 2011 budget went to education and 8.2% each to defense and law enforcement. The government has promised to nearly double the higher ed budget in 2012.

Long live the strike: A mural in central Bogotá celebrates 'los Indignados.'

Encapuchados

Altho the march was mostly peaceful, the riot police got paint bombed.

Employees and customers look out thru a bank's graffitied glass doors.

Aftgerwards: the clean-up.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours