[News]What is known about Francisco Martínez, the street juggler killed by some police in Chile

[SougarLord]

 

His name was Francisco Andrés Martínez Romero, but in the first news about the violent protests unleashed by his death in the Chilean town of Panguipulli, many of the country's main media only identify him as the juggler who was killed in the middle of the street by a policeman.

 

In some cases, they complement the description with the adjectives "young" or "street", but do not give his name or further details about his life, concentrating at first on trying to describe the circumstances of his death and the violent reaction to it.

 

According to the authorities, the deceased resisted an identity check by two police officers and one of them was forced to shoot in "legitimate self-defense" after the respondent tried to attack them with "white weapons", referring to the machetes that the young man used in his show and that according to some versions were toys.

 

Different videos of the incident quickly spread through social networks, fueling the protest. And it was also on social networks where more information about the tragic protagonist of the incident began to be known.

 

"He said his name was Franco, that three years ago he worked here in Panguipulli, and that he did not have a license, that he had dual nationality (apparently Chilean and Argentine)," Naty Peralta, a nursing technician, said in an audio that circulated on WhatsApp. who witnessed the argument and tried to revive Martínez after the shooting.

 

And Franco, Francisco Andrés and Pancho - as the victim was also known - quickly became a trend on Twitter in Chile, along with Panguipulli and at least one unpublished expression against the Carabineros.

 

According to a publication by the "Concepción Self-convened Artists Assembly", Martínez was also called "El Tíbet" and was 24 years old.

 

"He was a circus street artist, juggler. He worked 5 years ago at the traffic light in Panguipulli. He knew there was no permit but he needed to work to put something in his mouth, he did it conscientiously, claiming his rights," it reads.

 

In other publications on the web, Martínez is also described as a craftsman.

 

And according to the mayor of Panguipulli, Rodrgo Valdivia, the young man was part of a group of backpackers who tried to earn a living on the streets of the town.

 

"He was a person who lived on the street. He is not (he was) from Panguipulli. We had him in a reception program and solidarity dining rooms, we also gave him solidarity accommodation for a couple of months," Valdivia said.

 

"He was a young goat, he was not very disrespectful, he was quite respectful, a peaceful person who always walked with a couple of dogs. That is the profile that I know," added the mayor.