Police used tear gas and water cannons against protesters in front of Chile's national Congress after a Senate commission delayed a vote on a controversial fishing law aimed at redistributing quotas between artisanal and industrial fishers.
At least one police officer was injured, and several protesters were detained after demonstrators attempted to breach a gate surrounding the building. They faced a response from police with tear gas, water cannons, and batons.
Footage showed armored police vehicles spraying water at protesters who were carrying the Chilean flag.
Earlier, thousands of fishermen gathered at the docks in Valparaiso to march to Congress in opposition to the law, which they argue favors a few industrial fishing companies. They carried banners reading "The Sea is Not For Sale" in Spanish.
Hugo Poblete, a union leader for fishers in Quintero, was among those gathered outside, watching the Senate finance commission debate the law on a large screen. He noted that the debate was focused on the allocation percentages for each sector, saying that artisanal fishers had received a favorable distribution when the law passed the lower house—70% for hake and 90% for cuttlefish, both vital for local small fishers.
However, those percentages were reduced as the bill progressed through the Senate, which artisanal fishers and unions claim favors large industrial companies, driving them to protest. On Tuesday afternoon, the Senate commission decided to postpone the vote and continue the debate.
Following this decision, clashes erupted between police and protesters, who retaliated against police efforts to disperse them. Riot police subsequently moved in force to detain several individuals in the vicinity of Congress.
Chile's Sonapesca, representing the country's largest industrial fishing companies, did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
As the debate continues, the law may face further delays and legislative challenges before becoming law. Artisanal fishers assert they will persist in their fight for what they believe are equitable fishing rights, fearing for their livelihoods.
"It's not just the fishers; it's everyone connected to the sea," said Susana Olea, who has worked as an artisanal fisher since childhood, assisting fishers in preparing bait in the southern fishing town of Lebu.
Olea emphasized the broader impact on the community, noting that while one boat may have a crew of four or five, there are often 10 to 15 bait workers involved. She lamented the decline in local fishing opportunities, stating, "Three years ago, we were preparing bait; now we're not working because there's no Brama fish."
She expressed a desire to see cuttlefish designated 100% for artisanal fishers to help revitalize the industry.