BOGOTA, Colombia—Police units were hastily dispatched on Oct. 26 to stop a mob of more than 150 people who had violently taken to the streets of Ciudad Bolívar, a mega-slum sprawling into the hills of southwestern Bogotá, Colombia’s capital.
The crowds, enraged by news disseminated via WhatsApp that Venezuelans were kidnapping young girls, began attacking the alleged suspects. Video footage shows one of the three victims laid out helplessly on the floor, blood streaming from his body as he is hit by seemingly endless rocks, kicks, and punches. Among the mob are young children, women, and the elderly, who scream “thief” and “kill him” over the wail of police sirens. Many of the vigilantes hold sticks; some wield machetes.
