Chile president declares state of emergency after violent protests

A bus burns in downtown Santiago. Protests over metro fare increases escalated into clashes with riot police, with subway stations torched and vandalised. [AFP]

Chile's president declared a state of emergency in Santiago Friday night and gave the military responsibility for security after a day of violent protests over an increase in the price of metro tickets.

Throughout Friday, protestors clashed with riot police in several parts of the capital and the subway system was shut after attacks on stations in some of the worst violence the city has seen in years.