Dozens of people were injured and 250 arrested when police and demonstrating secondary school students clashed for more than six hours in the Chilian capital of Santiago on Thursday (26 April).

The students engaged in a running battle with police who made baton charges, fired tear gas grenades and used water cannon.

A protest march was held against a proposal by Marxist President Salvador Allende that a "Unified National School" should be set up in Chile.

Clashes with the police started when they moved in to break up two rival groups of secondary school students demonstrating for and against the Government proposal.

Windows were broken at the Presidential Palace and a number of other Government buildings were damaged.

In a broadcast on Thursday evening Education Minister Jorge Tapissaid that President Allende's proposal would be discussed openly on a national level.

A Unified National School, according to the Popular Unity coalition Government of Communists and socialists, would help to give equal educational opportunity to rich and poor. But it has met with opposition from the Roman Catholic Church and the strong Christian Democrat Party.

In separate unrelated incidents on Saturday (28 April) a Communist party member was killed and nine others were injured by machine gun fire as a march by pro-Government trade unionists passed the headquarters of the Christian Democrat Party.

SYNOPSIS: Dozene of people were injured and two hundred fifty arrested in riots on Chile's capital, Santiago on Thursday. Clashes involving rival groups of demonstrating secondary school student and police came during a protest march against a proposal to set up a Unified National School in chile. The proposal by Marxist President Salvador Allende is aimed at giving equal educational opportunity to rich and poor. The suggestion has provoke a great deal of opposition.

Trouble started when the police moved in to break up rival groups of students demonstrating for and against the proposal.

It developed into a running battle with baton wielding police which lasted most of the day.

Supporters of President Allende's Popular Unity Coalition Government of communists and socialists retaliated by putting up barricades. The clashes were in the capital's main avenue and central streets.

At the height of the disturbances police fired tear gas and used water cannon. Later, opponents of the Unified School plan broke windows at the Presidential Palace and damaged other Government buildings. Chile's Education Minister Jorge Tapia, said in a broadcast that a petrol bomb had also been thrown at the Palace. he added the school proposals would be discussed openly at a national level. St. Tapia said he deplored the violence.