Clashes erupt as protesters target far-right Madrid Forum gathering in Chile

Security forces moved to disperse crowds of protesters who assembled outside the venue hosting the Madrid Forum summit in Santiago on Friday. Officers deployed water cannons and other crowd-control tactics as demonstrations intensified around the gathering of far-right political leaders and activists from multiple countries.

The Madrid Forum, an international alliance of far-right and conservative political figures, had drawn considerable opposition from activist groups and civil society organizations in Chile. Demonstrators expressed concerns about the platform's ideology and its use of the country as a meeting ground.

Chile's interior ministry and police authorities have not provided detailed casualty or arrest figures from the confrontation. The clashes reflect broader political divisions in the South American nation, where debates over representation and political ideologies continue to generate public demonstrations.

The Madrid Forum represents one of several international networks bringing together right-wing political movements and figures across Europe, Latin America, and other regions. The gathering in Santiago drew heightened attention from both supporters and opponents of the organization's stated political agenda.