Local police punched, kicked, and struck with riot shields six journalists covering clashes between security forces and high school students during a massive May 30 demonstration demanding education reform. More than half a million students protested in Santiago, calling for a reduction in public transportation fares and in the inequities between rich and poor schools. Marcos Cabrera, a cameraman for RedTV, Fernando Fiedler, a photographer for the daily Diario Financiero, and Livio Saavedra, a cameraman for the Concepción-based Canal 9, were injured. Julio Oliva, editor of the Santiago weekly El Siglo, said he and reporters Iván Valdés and Marcos Díaz were briefly detained after attempting to help a protester struck by a car. Police punched the three journalists and shoved them into a truck, Oliva told CPJ. After President Michelle Bachelet ordered an investigation, the chief of special police forces was fired.

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