Video: Criminals torch police in Bogotá with ‘Molotov’ cocktail

On the night of this Saturday, May 23, there were 14 concentrations of people and demonstrations throughout the city of Bogotá. One of them on the southern highway, at the height of the Transmilenio portal of this trunk between the districts of La Estancia and Villa del Río.

According to the new commander of the Metropolitan Police of Bogotá, Brigadier General Eliécer Camacho Jiménez, the authorities responded to “Acts of vandalism by criminals on the southern highway. As soon as units of our mobile riot squad arrive, they repeatedly throw Molotov cocktails at him.“.

The incident occurred on the southern road with Carrera 75, in the Rincón de la Estancia neighborhood, in the town of Ciudad Bolívar. In this corner of the entrance to the neighborhood, there are several business premises, chain stores and a gas pump where the authorities had withdrawn.

Esmad’s uniforms, as can be seen in footage released and recorded by one of the members of the police, the officers were on the highway to enter the neighborhood where the demonstrators were.

By radio, agent Esmad who records the images, he receives messages from one of his colleagues who says “stop them, stop them” and later warns, shouting, “Molotov cocktail …”.

At that point a fire explosion is seen and later whoever records the video says “oh they put it on” and He walks over to one of his companions who shoots flares from his chest and completely covers his head.

While the others try to put out the flames, the victim yells “help, help”. Although they ask for a fire extinguisher, they get nothing to smother the flames, and they have to try with their hands to stop the conflagration in the officer’s body.

The companions ask him to take off his vest, but a few seconds later they manage to put out the flames and angrily deny what happened.

The man in uniform injured, according to General Camacho Jiménez, He was immediately transferred to the police hospital, where he underwent surgery due to the severity of the burns he suffered.

The commander indicated that the prognosis of the patrol car, identified as Cristian Calderón, is reserved. For his part, the government secretary of Bogotá, Luis Ernesto Gómez, assured that the agent victim of the attack is in an intensive care unit because of the injuries.

“Last night barbarians attacked Cristian Calderon, a young policeman, with firebombs. Due to the level of his burns, he is in intensive care and undergoes surgeries. Human Rights of @GobiernoBTA is accompanying the case. Where do you think this fratricidal violence will take us?Wrote the district secretary.

For their part, the authorities offered a reward to determine the perpetrators. “National police offer up to 30 million pesos to the person who collaborates in the prosecution of the criminals involved in the attack to the member of the national police who accompanied the social demonstration ”, declared Brigadier General Camacho.

According to the new police commander, the person who helps identify the attackers will have absolute reserve and will receive support from the authorities.

“I reject and condemn the crime committed against the policeman Cristian Calderón. Nothing justifies it. What they committed against Cristian is a crime and the person responsible, or those responsible, must be punished by a judicial authorityWrote the district supervisor, Guillermo Rivera.

On the Gateway to the Americas, in southwestern Bogotá, there were also clashes between public forces and demonstrators, which, according to social organizations, left more than 40 injured and at least three people injured in the eyes. .