۱۱۳ arrested in Chile student protests

Some 4,500 students, mostly from high schools and universities, took to the streets to demand improvements in Chile's public education system, said to be among the most expensive and unequal in the world.

Santiago authorities said ۱۱۳ people were arrested in various parts of the city, including ۳۹ adults and ۷۴ minors.

Near La Moneda, hooded protestors brandished sticks, stones and bottles filled with paint at police guarding the presidential palace.

Police used water jets and tear gas against protesters, who paralyzed traffic in the Chilean capital for roughly two hours.

One week ago, police arrested ۱۳۹ people when they stormed three Santiago high schools that had been taken over by students demanding educational reforms.

The student movement erupted last year amid growing calls for sweeping education reform, free college education and central government control over public schools.

Public education in Chile suffered from sharp cuts in funding during the ۱۹۷۳-۱۹۹۰ dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, leaving a system that favors expensive private schools that are out of the reach of the poor.

Student organizers have called for another protest on Tuesday.