Teachers and students protest nearbythe Goverment Palace in Quito, Wednesday.(Associated Press) Police fired tear gas at about 5,000 striking public school teachers, students and parents who clashed with officers during a protest Wednesday to demand teacher raises and better schools. No serious injuries were reported. “This siege is in the name of human rights – it’s a takeover in the name of education,” teachers union leader Ernesto Castillo told reporters about the protest, which was meant to be a symbolic takeover of Quito’s historic downtown. The protest, which was announced as a peaceful demonstration days ago, broke into violence when police fired tear gas at marchers advancing on the Presidential Palace. Confronted by police, teachers and supporters set fires, hurled rocks and used clubs to fight police clad in riot gear. Television images showed protesters – among them children – gagging on tear gas. There were no reports of serious injuries. Four police officers were lightly injured when a group of students attacked their police station and set it on fire, television news reported. Full Story
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