No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta Rican students, journalist denounce police aggression after protest

Costa Rican students, journalist denounce police aggression after protest

Over the course of 15 years as a journalist, Javier Córdoba says he has never experienced anything like the events of Wednesday evening.

As he was reporting on students from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) conducting a peaceful protest on the streets of San Pedro, he says police escalated the situation with aggression toward students. Then, the journalist says, they turned their attention to him.

Córdoba says that while he was filming the scene with his phone, a police officer restrained him and hit him with a baton. The reporter says another officer was approaching with a baton until he repeatedly shouted, “I’m a journalist,” and was released.

“What I found unfortunate was that it was a situation that could have been resolved peacefully — because the streets were emptying — but [the police] decided to finish it with aggression toward the students,” Córdoba said in a phone interview with The Tico Times on Thursday morning.

The Tico Times contacted the National Police for comment on Thursday morning, but was told that Casa Presidencial is handling the response.

President Carlos Alvarado called Córdoba’s news outlet, the weekly Semanario Universidad — which is housed on the UCR campus and is funded by the public university — to apologize on behalf of the Costa Rican government, Córdoba said. President Alvarado also tweeted that he will meet with UCR officials Thursday to analyze the situation and “strengthen the dialogue” between the university and the government.

UCR students were joining thousands of citizens who have been marching in San José and across Costa Rica this week against a proposed tax reform, which they say would have an unfair impact on the working class.

Those protests have generally remained peaceful, but became more confrontational Wednesday.

Córdoba detailed how Wednesday’s demonstration turned violent in his conversation with The Tico Times.  

“A large amount of police arrived, and the protesters, seeing that many police, decided to leave,” Córdoba said. “It was peaceful — I have it recorded on video. … Obviously, the protesters were frustrated, and they were shouting things [at the police], but there was no aggression from the students toward the police.”

Córdoba explained that police began confronting students even as they were returning to their campus.

“When a police officer finished hitting one of the men, he turned and saw me filming,” the reporter said. “It must have bothered him that I filmed what he was doing, so he grabbed me and started hitting me with his baton.

“Another police officer was also going to hit me, so I started shouting, ‘I’m a journalist,’ so he would let me go. … Once they let me go, they told me to leave, but I told them — with a broken voice — that I was on public property, and a journalist, so I kept filming.”

Semanario Universidad posted video of the incident on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/sem.universidad/videos/2248989978675852/

Bruised, but not otherwise hurt, Córdoba returned to work Thursday as protests continued.

“People often criticize students, who sometimes provoke violence, who sometimes throw rocks,” Córdoba said. “But on this occasion, it was the police who lost control of the situation.”  

 

Trending Now

Why I Choose Real Life in Costa Rica Over the AI Hype

When it comes to AI, call me OG. Old school. I sometimes wish I could go back to a time before it existed. Artificial...

Can Costa Rica’s Blue Zone Preserve Its Longevity Legacy?

The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica is recognized worldwide as one of the five blue zones, where people live beyond the age of 90...

Costa Rica Opens New Pedestrian Bridge at Guayabo National Monument

Costa Rica has added a new attraction to its archaeological sites with the opening of a pedestrian bridge at Guayabo National Monument. The structure...

Empty Stadiums and Inequality Mar Women’s Copa América

Nearly empty stadiums, players' criticism of the organization, and demands for equality in South American football have marked the 2025 Women's Copa América in...

Panama Farmer Receives Land Title After 60-Year Wait at Age 109

A 109-year-old Panamanian farmer has received the land title for the property where he lives and works—six decades after first requesting it from the...

Low Dollar Exchange Rate Threatens Costa Rican Industry

Ten of Costa Rica’s leading business chambers have sent a joint letter to the Central Bank calling for an immediate adjustment to the country's...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica