The State Department strongly warns of American citizens converging on large crowds in Bogotá due to the possibility of violence. When I saw the protest start, what did I do? Grab my camera and run straight for the action. After a few hours of escaping tear gas, water cannons, and unnecessary violence, I found myself in possession of some truly astonishing images. Here is a collection of my favorite images, documenting the events of the day.
I was thoroughly impressed with the security and how the situation was handled. I tip my hat to the entire police force of Bogotá, Colombia. These men and women risk their lives every day while fighting for a common goal of a safe and united Colombia. Unfortunately, they have to put up with punks who believe that destroying Bogotá is the most effective way of protesting.
One very important note. Days like this in Colombia happen only on a rare occasion. Since my arrival in Bogotá, not once have I ever felt in danger. Colombia has truly undergone a rebirth, and although protests happen occasionally, the security situation is extremely stable. Even while documenting the events of the day, I was never worried about my own safety or the safety of my friends.
Everything was taken on my Canon SD1000 and edited with Adobe Lightroom 2. If there are any questions about a particular photo, feel free to message me.
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- The street leading to Plaza Bolivar.
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- Baring the tear gas.
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- Back up officers heading to Plaza Bolivar.
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- Protesters creatin a blockade, thus, not allowing the police to get through.
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- Controling the crowd.
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- A woman in her failed attempt to stop the SWAT tank.
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- Setting up a parameter.
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- The elite SWAT force. Awesome costumes I might add.
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- The one officer who flashed a smile at me all day.
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- A peaceful protester.
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- Crowd control.
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- Peaceful protesters who were also nice enough to provide entertainment.
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- Notice the fresh paint on the shields. It was thrown at the police officers just minutes before.
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- A SWAT vehile that was ambushed with paint in the mist of the protest.
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- Protecting the Justice Department, which was taken hostage in 1985.
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- Mayhem.
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- A statue of Simon Bolivar, the leader of Latin American Independence.
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- Snipers perched upon the roof in Plaza Bolivar. Notice Monserrate in the background.
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- A home made bomb used to deter the police.
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- SWAT vehicles.
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- The aftermath in Plaza Bolivar.
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- The new Trans Milenio
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- Rebellion is Justice. Live the EME (a terrorist organization).
What was the protest advocating? Were they upset about the tough illegal immigration laws recently passed in Arizonia?
Hmmm… I could be wrong, but I have a feeling that they could care less about the law in AZ. And if they did… what good is a protest in Bogotá???
From my observations, everyone had a different cause (which made it even more pointless), but the underlying theme is inequality. By inequality, I’m referring to the income gap. But, in my personal opinion, they should be fighting equality in education, not income. Education is the root of all problems. Fix that… and you’re golden.
Thoughts?
looks like i missed out. thanks for the pics