ELN members participated in protests in Colombia

Day of protests against police brutality 2:18

(CNN Spanish) -

The Colombian government rejected this Thursday the statements of alias Uriel, commander of the Western War Front Omar Gómez of the ELN, who had affirmed in an audio that its members participated in demonstrations against police brutality.

"This bandit recognizes the participation of ELN urban networks in acts of violence and vandalism in Bogotá in the week of September 9," said Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo, in a statement released by video.

The official affirmed that the forces of order will continue to act, under current regulations, against "barbarism, vandalism and terrorism."

ELN statements

Earlier, in an audio sent to the press by his broadcast team, alias Uriel of the ELN declared that members of the front he leads participated in the protests.

“The uprisings and riots have not been motivated by different groups opposed to the government.

Our urban militancy participates in them as one or more ”, he pointed out.

• LEE: Colombian Police investigate whether some of their agents fired at protesters in protests over the death of Javier Ordóñez

Speaking to Noticentro 1 CM & from Havana, the ELN negotiator leader in the peace talks with the Colombian government, Pablo Beltrán, denied that the organization was behind the mobilizations and said that the protesters have taken to the streets in a spontaneous.

Protests against police brutality broke out after Javier Ordóñez's death on September 9.

The 43-year-old lawyer died after police officers detained him and held him on the ground, using electro-shock guns.

In a video that went viral on social networks, it was seen that they asked him to put his hands behind his back, while he asked several times "please" to stop.

For the fact, two former police officers were sent to jail.

Diana Castrillón contributed to this report.