Chile protests: Lasers used by demonstrators in Santiago against the police

Protesters in Chile are using banks of lasers to try and disrupt the operations of the police and security forces.

In one case, footage has emerged showing activists using lasers to down a police drone in the South American country.

The tactic has previously been used by pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong and the anti-government movement in Iraq.

The disturbances in Chilean capital Santiago come as civilians complain over the government force’s use of shotgun pellets in blinding protesters.

Police said that they will start using cameras on top of their helmets to track what their officers are up to.

Chile's main medical body says at least 230 people have lost sight after being shot in an eye in the last month while participating in the demonstrations over inequality and better social services that have overwhelmed the South American nation.

What began on October 18 as a student protest over a modest increase in subway fares has turned into a much larger and broader movement with a long list of demands that largely have to do with the wide gap between the rich and ordinary Chileans.

People are calling for reforms to health care, education, the pension system and even the constitution, which dates back to 1980 and the military dictatorship.

Protesters in Hong Kong used lasers in a bid to scramble cameras that they feared could be use to identify them.

They would also shine the focused beams of light at the police in an attempt to distract them.

Lasers have also been used at anti-regime rallies in Iraq.

Additional reporting by AP.