Chaos in Colombia as Police Appear to Beat Protesters in Videos

Social media videos appear to show Colombian police officers using violence against protesters who are demonstrating against right-wing President Iván Duque Márquez's government, police brutality, and growing economic inequality.

The protests have now entered their eighth day and have been taking place in multiple cities and towns across the country, including the capital Bogota, and Cali, the country's third largest city. Demonstrations have also taken place in the northern cities of Bucaramanga and Medellín.

The demonstrations were originally called in opposition to a tax reform plan, which has since been cancelled, but protesters have remained on the streets to march against economic inequality in Colombia, the government's inaction to address poverty, and police brutality.

The protests began on April 28 after a national strike drew larger crowds than expected. Colombia's human rights ombudsman confirmed on Wednesday that 24 people—23 citizens and one police officer—had been killed in the violence.

Several videos circulating on social media show shooting, including many that appear to show police firing shots at protesters. One video filmed in Medellín appears to show injured protesters getting treated by health workers.

Another video in Cali appears to show police shooting at protesters, raiding houses and beating citizens to the ground with batons.

One video shows police chasing down a fleeing protester on motorbikes during the evening before kicking the him to the ground and beating him with truncheons.

The U.N. on Tuesday said it was "deeply alarmed" by the bloodshed in the city. It said it was particularly shocked at Monday's events, where it said police had fired on protesters.

The protests have drawn tens of thousands of people to the street, and the marches across the country have evolved into protests against economic inequality and rising poverty in the Latin American country.

Much of the frustration initially stemmed from new or expanded taxes on citizens and business owners and the elimination of many tax exemptions, such as those on certain sales of everyday goods.

Although Duque said the objective of the reforms—aimed at raising the equivalent of 1.4 percent of GDP, or $4.1 billion—were to stabilize the country's economy, the plan has been criticized for favoring the wealthy and placing more strain on the working and middle classes.

Finance Minister Alberto Carrasquilla, the architect of the controversial tax reforms, tendered his resignation on Monday evening, after spending most of the day in meetings with Duque. The Colombian peso fell the most among the major currencies following the move.

In a bid to quell the unrest, on Sunday Duque ordered the proposal to be withdrawn from congress where it was being debated. He said his government would present an alternative draft law soon. But Duque's right-wing Democratic Center party has less than 20 percent of the seats in congress and may struggle to pass a new law.

In an address to the nation, Duque urged congress to quickly put together a new plan "and thus avoid financial uncertainty."

"The reform is not a whim. The reform is a must," he said.

Unlike many other Latin American countries, Colombia prides itself on being a relatively stable economy, and hasn't defaulted on its debt since the 1930s.