Chilean Calgarians stand in solidarity amid allegations of brutality back home

More than 100 protesters gathered at Calgary's Olympic Plaza on Saturday, raising their voices in solidarity with those fighting against income inequality in Chile.

"People are getting killed just for being students," said 17-year-old Jordan Vicencio. "It's been horrible. Especially, obviously, family's down there … knowing that any day in the streets they could just be shot."

On Friday, more than a million Chileans rallied in the country's capital Santiago, urging political and social change.

The week of protests began with student rallies over an increase in subway fares, which morphed into broader unrest, with protesters fed up over income inequality and the country's increasingly precarious and expensive education and health-care systems under the centre-right government of President Sebastián Piñera.

There have been reports of excessive force and alleged brutality by armed forces. More than 18 people have died and hundreds arrested.

Organizer Patty Amestica said her family were political refugees, exiled from the country in the '70s while the country was ruled by a military dictatorship. She came to Canada at age four.

"We are asking for no more violence. To allow the protesters to protest in peace and to allow the Chilean voices to be heard," she said.