Mass protests: Tens of thousands of Chileans protest again against government policy

Tens of thousands of people in Chile's capital Santiago de Chile have again demonstrated against the government's policies. Three weeks after the protests began in the South American country, a large demonstration march to Plaza Italia on Friday evening, which was renamed "Place of Dignity" on a huge screen.

The participants wore Chilean flags and banners with slogans against the conservative president Sebastián Piñera. As the protest marched past the presidential palace, the demonstrators demanded the resignation of the president.

During the violent clashes on the margins of the rally, a building belonging to the private university Pedro de Valdivia was set on fire. The fire was triggered when disguised demonstrators clashed with security forces and set fire to barricades near the university, eyewitnesses reported to local media.

Piñera does not respond to demands of the demonstrators

The demonstration was called in social networks after Piñera announced new security measures in a speech on Thursday. He tried to portray the crisis in the country as a problem of public order, but did not respond to the demands of the demonstrators.

In particular, they call for pension and constitutional reforms and profound reforms of the ultra-liberal economic system in Chile. "The message of Piñera yesterday was an open provocation, he understands nothing," said the 27-year-old student Cristian.

Just recently, the Chilean president had ruled out a resignation. In an interview with the British BBC. said Piñera the question for afterwards. Nevertheless, he acknowledged a share of responsibility for the problems in Chile, which, however, had "accumulated for 30 years". (Read more about the problems in the country here.)

Piñera's popularity rating has dropped to 13 percent, the lowest level ever for a head of state since Chile's return to democracy in 1990, according to a recent survey by the Cadem Institute.

Demonstrations were also reported in other cities in the country, according to media reports. In Vina del Mar, near Valparaiso, there were violent clashes between protesters and the police. By the end of October, a rally in the capital had already attracted a million people.