Police break into a Lima university to disperse protesters

The National Police of Peru broke into the National University of San Marcos (UNMSM) to evict the protesters this Saturday, the National Police reported in Twitter.

The National Police tweeted that the Lima Police received a formal request this Friday from legal representatives of the university saying that unidentified persons had “used violence” against university staff and had taken control of the university campus. .

According to an image of the application document shared by the National Police, the legal representative of the university said that at approximately 9 pm local time this Friday, a group of students from the university and “unidentified persons” broke down the doors and used violence against security personnel.

“It is urgently requested that the police personnel in charge proceed to release the doors taken illegally, in order to recover the university campus of UNMSM,” the request reads.

In a statement issued this Saturday, the university said that the National Police cleared the gates of the university that were occupied by protesters who “participated in nationwide marches.” According to the university statement, a session of the University Council had been held this Wednesday in which it was agreed to establish a dialogue between a commission of deans and students of the university, and representatives of the protesters.

In the session it was agreed that the protesters should withdraw from the university campus “in an orderly manner” by Thursday at 12 noon local time. The university said the agreement did not go through. Thus, he called on the university community to maintain peace so that academic and administrative activities can resume this Monday.

Credit: CARLOS MANDUJANO/AFP via Getty Images

According to the state news agency Andina, between 200 and 300 police officers entered the university campus on Saturday to evict protesters who had been there for three days. Using an armored vehicle, they managed to break through one of the main gates of the university campus to allow law enforcement officers carrying shields and helmets to pass through. According to Andina, the police used tear gas to disperse the protesters who were stationed near the entrance gates.

The ombudsman in charge, Jeri Ramón, said this Saturday that her staff had initially been prevented from entering the university to verify the conditions of the people who were there. They were later allowed in, Ramón said, adding that her office intervenes so that the police respect the human rights of those who are there.

“We consider it opportune to coordinate with the AG of Peru the operation in the university so that they intervene. In a state of emergency, Human Rights and institutional interventions must be guaranteed. We are attentive until the operation on the university campus is completed, ”he said in an interview on air with RPP, tweeted by the Ombudsman’s Office.

“We will be in the Dirincri (Police Investigation Operations Center) and Dircote (Counter-Terrorism Directorate) places where people will be transferred after the operation at the university, in order to guarantee that they have dignified treatment without aggression or discrimination and that have access to legal and medical review and have lawyers,” he added.