At least 37 protesters have been killed by police, and 1,708 cases of police violence have been registered during tax protests in Colombia, according to Temblores, an NGO that monitors police violence nationwide.

“For 7 consecutive days, and despite the violence with which the State has repressed social protests, citizens have come out at large to demonstrate and demand their rights in the streets. As violence by the State intensifies, citizen outrage grows and our records of police violence continue to increase,” the group said in a statement.

“During all these days, we have alerted the international community to the very serious crisis that the country is going through regarding the violation of human rights,” the group added.

Press release for public opinion and the international community on the physical and homicidal violence carried out by the Colombian National Police in the context of protests in Colombia’s National Strike. pic.twitter.com/kHGZNFqQnH

— Temblores ONG 🐘 (@TembloresOng) May 5, 2021

Snipers are shooting at the population in Pasto, Colombia, Anonymous Colombia tweeted.

Although President Ivan Duque declared that he would fully withdraw his new tax plan, protests continue in Colombia.

In large cities such as Bogotá and Cali, thousands to tens of thousands of protestors took to the streets, in some cases clashing with authorities, resulting in casualties.

Groups have said that multiple human rights violations occurred during the protests, though the Duque government denies that any occurred.

President Duque declared that he would fully withdraw his new tax plan, though no new concrete plans were announced, and protests continued.

The protesters denounced the tax reform bill proposed by President Ivan Duque's administration and criticized the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many Colombians believe that the tax reform will leave them poorer in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. (ILKHA)