The concentration is taking place outside the Magdalena Department Police to reject the acts of violence that have been taking place nationwide against active uniformed officers.
With the purpose of supporting the Military Forces and the National Police, a huge group of the active reserve of the National Police and retired Army personnel held a sit-in outside the Police Department of Magdalena, to reject the acts of violence and insecurity to which the uniformed members of the public force are being subjected at the national level.
With Colombian flags, banners and chants in support of the police and military authorities, the citizens showed their support for the active members of the institutions and told them out loud that “you are not alone, because we are here with you.”
In an interview with the newspaper EL INFORMADOR, Enrique Orbegozo Giorgi, a retired National Police major, indicated that “the sit-in in support of the public forces is taking place nationwide. In Santa Marta we started it at 2:00 in the afternoon, with the purpose of telling our uniformed officers that they are not alone, that we are with them because they are our blood brothers. We, as the active reserve of the National Police, demand that the State not denigrate authority and execute all actions to guarantee their protection. We all have the right to return home.”
He also added that “I am excited to see the number of people that we are supporting our military forces. We did a very nice act where we sang to them and expressed our support. But beyond that, we held a demonstration without blocking the street and without injuring anyone, this is what makes us different from everyone else. Our demonstrations are totally peaceful because we are good people”.
Orbegozo Giorgi recalled the functions of a good commander and emphasized that “not all are appointed to be commanders. For us as police officers, it is an honorary position and one of great responsibility because we have to ensure the safety of our members and that of the public in general, and that should be done by our commander in the State, in this case the President of the Republic, who He is in the obligation to protect and educate us because that is a constitutional right, but not, apparently, as they have forgotten that the procedure of that position is to take care of an entire country ”.
For his part, Ernesto Téllez, who is also part of the National Police reserve, said that “we are supporting our institution, they do not deserve to be victims of attacks by criminal groups. And I am also here to refute the Government that they have us unprotected. The Minister of Defense, the President and even our directors have forgotten that we are also human”.
The sit-in was attended by more than 90 people, including retired officers, civilians, and active uniformed officers, who are asking for greater guarantees from the national government.