March Marking ‘73 Coup Turns Ugly

Police used tear gas and water cannons to scatter rock-throwing demonstrators Monday during a march marking the anniversary of the bloody 1973 coup led by Gen. Augusto Pinochet.

Pinochet ruled until 1990 after leading the coup against Marxist President Salvador Allende, who committed suicide inside his presidential palace under air and ground attack.

Several thousand leftists marched Monday from downtown Santiago to the cemetery, where they placed red carnations on Allende’s grave and chanted anti-Pinochet slogans.

Violence erupted as police tried to disperse protesters, some masked, who started throwing rocks at buildings and cars. A number of windows at the main police communications center were broken.