Dozens Blinded By Police Shots In Chile Protests

Santiago, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Nov, 2019 ) :Running away as shots rang out, Carlos Vivanco turned to see where they were coming from. Then he felt his left eye closing and his face dripping with blood.

The 18-year-old student had become one of scores of people hit in the eyes, and in some cases blinded, by police rubber bullets in Chile's recent wave of anti-government protests.

Police have fired tear gas, water cannons and rubber shot cartridges. Vivanco was hurt during the first week of the protests, when President Sebastian Pinera sent soldiers onto the streets.

"They wanted to cause me pain, shame, regret, fear," says Vivanco at his house in the suburb of La Pintana near the capital Santiago.

"But they had the opposite effect. I have more rage than pain and more hatred than shame -- and it is against those who are out there shooting and mutilating people."