Two dead in student protests in Chile

Two students were killed Thursday in Chile in massive demonstrations against government education policy.

Around 150,000 people marched in the capital Santiago, organizers said, but police put the figure at 50,000.

Another big rally was held in the city of Valparaiso.

Students and professors say they want more of a say in how the government makes good on reform pledges, such as making university studies free for poorer students and instituting performance reviews for teachers.

Demonstrators clashed with police at the end of the march in Santiago, and more than 130 people were arrested, police said.

The deaths came in Valparaiso when demonstrators trying to post pamphlets on the outer walls of a home were shot by the son of the owners.

The shooter was arrested, police said.

The protests came four days after President Michele Bachelet overhauled her cabinet, as she faces a plummeting approval rating. Among other woes, her eldest son Sebastian has been named in an influence peddling scandal.