Protesters against Chile President Sebastian Pinera’s government have rallied around a student blinded by police rubber bullets and his family hopes a photo capturing his injuries will increase international pressure on the administration.
Gustavo Gatica’s name is shouted at police, borne on placards and scrawled on walls around the city.
Mr Gatica was taking pictures of a protest when he was hit on 8 November.
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His case became a lightning rod in Chile for fury directed at police for alleged widespread human rights abuses during more than six weeks of demonstrations over social inequality that have left at least 26 people dead and 13,000 injured, according to prosecutors and human rights organisations.
He is one of two known cases of people left completely blind but at least 241 Chileans have suffered from eye injuries during the protests, according to Chile’s Institute for Human Rights (INDH).
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Demonstrators point green laser lights at police during protests in Santiago, Chile
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Demonstrators point green laser lights to riot police during a protest
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Demonstrators point green laser lights at riot police officers
Getty Images
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Demonstrators use laser beams during an anti-goverment protest in Santiago, Chile on 12 November.
REUTERS
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Observers compared the use of lasers to futuristic warfare or a dance club party
AFP via Getty Images
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Anti-government protesters clash with riot police in Renaca on Chile’s coast
AFP/Getty
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Demonstrators burn piles of furniture during a protest against Chile’s government in Vina del Mar, on the country’s northern coast
Reuters
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Demonstrators clash with riot police during a protest on 12 October
AFP/Getty
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A demonstrator is arrested by Chilean riot police during a protest in downtown Santiago on 12 October
AFP/Getty
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A demonstrator waves a Chilean flag as he is fired upon by water cannons during clashes with riot police during anti-government protests in Concepcion on 4 November
Reuters
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Demonstrators throw stones during a protest against Chile’s government in Concepcion, near the country’s coast on 7 November
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A woman walks with her children amid anti-government protests in Concepcion, on Chile’s coast on 7 November
Reuters
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Demonstrators clash with riot police during a protest in downtown Santiago on 12 October
AFP/Getty
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Subway services in Santiago were suspended after activists jumped turnstiles, dodged fares and vandalised stations
AFP/Getty
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Demonstrators run away from tear gas during clashes with riot police at the Bellas Artes metro station
AFP/Getty
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School and university students joined a mass fare-dodging protest in Santiago’s metro
AFP/Getty
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A riot police throws a tear gas canister to demonstrators during clashes
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Riot police stand next to a burning barricade following a mass fare-dodging protest in downtown Santiago
AFP/Getty
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Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera declared a state of emergency early on Saturday
AFP/Getty
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A protester kicks back a tear gas canister during clashes with riot polic
AFP/Getty
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Demonstrators clash with riot police following a mass fare-dodging protest
AFP/Getty
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Demonstrators point green laser lights at police during protests in Santiago, Chile
Getty Images
2/21
Demonstrators point green laser lights to riot police during a protest
Getty Images
3/21
Demonstrators point green laser lights at riot police officers
Getty Images
4/21
Demonstrators use laser beams during an anti-goverment protest in Santiago, Chile on 12 November.
REUTERS
5/21
Observers compared the use of lasers to futuristic warfare or a dance club party
AFP via Getty Images
6/21
Anti-government protesters clash with riot police in Renaca on Chile’s coast
AFP/Getty
7/21
Demonstrators burn piles of furniture during a protest against Chile’s government in Vina del Mar, on the country’s northern coast
Reuters
8/21
Demonstrators clash with riot police during a protest on 12 October
AFP/Getty
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A demonstrator is arrested by Chilean riot police during a protest in downtown Santiago on 12 October
AFP/Getty
10/21
A demonstrator waves a Chilean flag as he is fired upon by water cannons during clashes with riot police during anti-government protests in Concepcion on 4 November
Reuters
11/21
Demonstrators throw stones during a protest against Chile’s government in Concepcion, near the country’s coast on 7 November
Reuters
12/21
A woman walks with her children amid anti-government protests in Concepcion, on Chile’s coast on 7 November
Reuters
13/21
Demonstrators clash with riot police during a protest in downtown Santiago on 12 October
AFP/Getty
14/21
Subway services in Santiago were suspended after activists jumped turnstiles, dodged fares and vandalised stations
AFP/Getty
15/21
Demonstrators run away from tear gas during clashes with riot police at the Bellas Artes metro station
AFP/Getty
16/21
School and university students joined a mass fare-dodging protest in Santiago’s metro
AFP/Getty
17/21
A riot police throws a tear gas canister to demonstrators during clashes
AFP/Getty
18/21
Riot police stand next to a burning barricade following a mass fare-dodging protest in downtown Santiago
AFP/Getty
19/21
Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera declared a state of emergency early on Saturday
AFP/Getty
20/21
A protester kicks back a tear gas canister during clashes with riot polic
AFP/Getty
21/21
Demonstrators clash with riot police following a mass fare-dodging protest
AFP/Getty
Mr Pinera has sought to mollify protesters with a spending package and a vote on a new constitution, but the marches continue and spiked last week when doctors confirmed in a statement they had been unable to save Mr Gatica’s eyes.
The interior minister Gonzalo Blumel said last week that the Mr Gatica case was “deeply painful” and made clear police protocols around the use of force needed to be revised. Mr Pinera was not immediately available for comment.
Police have suspended the use of rubber bullets except in cases of threat to life.
Mario Rozas, the Chilean police chief, said in an interview with CNN three days after the shooting that he had identified the officers who fired rubber bullets and the force was cooperating with prosecutors.
“I deeply regret what Gustavo suffered,” he said.
Police declined to comment further as the case is under investigation, but said they were studying “profound” reforms to ensure “better protection of human rights”.
Mr Gatica and his parents declined to be interviewed by Reuters.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Gustavo’s brother Enrique Gatica told Reuters in the family’s home town of Colina, 19 miles from Santiago, that his brother was still following the protests and willing them on.
“If fear and repression triumph, if we return to all the indignities we were living with as a society, it would be extremely painful,” said his brother, who is studying for a history doctorate and previously worked as an educator at Chile’s Villa Grimaldi human rights organisation.
He added that his brother was conscious of the power of his case to effect change. “If it serves to renew the protests’ energy, to ensure change is achieved, he feels it would be worthwhile,” he said.
Reuters