Chile March for Jesus stoned by 'anarchists'

A March for Jesus in Chile has been broken up by protesters throwing stones, according to Evangelical Focus.

The march in the capital Santiago was held on Saturday as part of the official National Day of Evangelical and Protestant Churches celebrations, one of around 30 similar events across the country. Four marches converged on Citizenship Square in front of La Moneda Palace, the seat of Chile's government.

An estimated 120,000 people took part in the March for Jesus in Santiago. March for Jesus/Twitter

Some marchers protested against draft laws regarded by many Christians as threats to life and family values, such as legislation to further liberalise abortion.

Evangelical Focus quotes local police as saying, 'a group of 150 antifascists and anarchists gathered in the place, and started to throw blunt objects' against marchers and the police.

Pastor Carol Espinaza, who attended the march, told Latin American site Evangelico Digital that children were among the marchers stoned by the attackers.

'People started to run, there were babies in their prams, children crying, it was a chaos,' he said.

March for Jesus organisers said on Twitter in a statement: 'We feel deeply affected because acts of violence such as those that occurred have impaired our celebration.

'We want to announce also that many brothers who marched peacefully were wounded and violated. That is why we call on the authorities, so that the pertinent measures are taken and so these things do not happen again.'

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