On October 6, 2019 the Chilean government increased the Santiago Metro subway fare by 4 cents. This decision incensed many commuters who evaded the new fares by jumping over the turnstiles. Riots broke out, subway stations, trains and buses were burned and supermarkets were looted and set on fire. The government declared a state of emergency and the army was brought out to support the police. Curfews were introduced.
The cities of Chile were brought to a standstill. Santiago, a city of nearly 6 million people was without public transport. Supermarkets, schools and shops were closed. Helicopters hovered over the city and its suburbs. There were clashes between protestors and the police and army. Water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition were used to disperse demonstrators. By October 26 the National Institute of Human Rights recorded that 3,162 people had been detained, 997 wounded, and 19 people killed, 5 of them allegedly by actions of the armed forces or police. The nightmares of the Pinochet years were being relived.
While the outpouring of anger was sparked by the subway fare increase the Pinochet era Constitution had created an increasingly unequal society. The minimum wage was inadequate and underemployment and unemployment was rife. A large proportion of Chilean citizens were struggling to survive in an economy where water, electricity, gas, education, health, pensions, medicines, roads, forests, and transportation had been transferred into private hands by Pinochet. Many people could not afford the necessities of life.
As a result of the unrest the government announced an increase in the minimum wage but this did little to stop the violent demonstrations. Soon after, the government announced a referendum for April 2020 where the process for revising the Constitution would be put to the people. But still the violence continued.
Dramatic images of the violent confrontation were published internationally but there was little attention paid to the peaceful mass protests which have become a part of Chilean daily life since the violence erupted in early October. For example convoys of thousands of bicycle riders took to the streets chanting and blowing whistles. A procession of guitar players marched through the streets to play outside government offices. Public places such as Plaza Ñuñoa became the focus of peaceful demonstration, protest music and public discussion about a revised Constitution. On October 25 more 1.25 million people marched from all parts of Santiago to converge on Plaza Italia They carried posters and banners, sang the anthem Chile Awakes and banged pots and pans in the traditional Chilean protest rhythm of Ta, Ta, TaTa, Ta. This was the largest display of public protest in the 2019 battle to create a new Chilean Constitution.
Many of the marchers photographed the event, but a publicly accessible record of that march is an important reminder of the power of peaceful protest. The photos which follow are a contribution to the communal memory of this extraordinary event.
