Thousands of Colombians take to the streets to reject proposed reforms and rebuke the president

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Thousands of Colombians took to the streets on Saturday to oppose the policies of President Gustavo Petro, who accused demonstrators of trying to destabilize the government.

Protesters in cities including Bogotá, Medellín and Cali decried a series of proposed health, labor and pensions reforms and accused Petro’s administration of corruption.

The crowd, which included retired military officials and opposition lawmakers, waved Colombian flags, with some demonstrators holding signs that read, “No to Petro reforms,” and “No to labor reforms.”

“I never expected to have to take to the streets to protest, to give my voice of rejection to this corruption,” said Luis Carlos Hernández as he marched through the streets of Bogotá, referring to Petro’s supporters as “guerrilla bandits.”

Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who has denied the accusations, said that only some 20,000 people participated in Saturday’s demonstrations as he accused them of trying to overthrow the government and mock voters.

“In Colombia, we will stop the coup d’état,” he wrote on X.

Saturday’s protest is the latest rebuke against Petro’s reform agenda. Protests began after he took office in 2022, but they have recently gained momentum.

Reservists march against the government of President Gustavo Petro, in Bogotá, Colombia, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)

Demonstrators rally against the government of President Gustavo Petro, in Bogotá, Colombia, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)

Demonstrators march against the government of President Gustavo Petro, in Bogotá, Colombia, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)

Demonstrators march against the government of President Gustavo Petro, in Bogotá, Colombia, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)

Demonstrators march against the government of President Gustavo Petro, in Bogotá, Colombia, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)

BERLIN (AP) — Patrik Schick scored a hat trick and injury-hit Bayer Leverkusen overcame a scare before beating Heidenheim 5-2 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Borussia Dortmund, Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt all won, too, but Bayern Munich remains unbeaten and already has a commanding lead with just under a third of the season played.

Bayern powerbroker Uli Hoeneß promised the club's fans last week that the title will be returning to Munich after last season's trophy-less aberration.

And it's hard to argue with the 72-year-old former Bayern president with Frankfurt his team's closest challenger, six points behind. Leipzig is eight points back, Leverkusen nine, and Dortmund 10 after 11 games played so far.

Leverkusen announced before kickoff that Jonas Hofmann will be out for the rest of the year with a right thigh injury from training, adding to an injury list including Victor Boniface, Amine Adli and Nordi Mukiele.

Heidenheim then stunned the defending champions when Marvin Pieringer won the ball from Piero Hincapie for Niklas Dorsch to open the scoring in the 10th minute. Mathias Honsak surged past three Leverkusen defenders and shot inside the far post 11 minutes later.

Exequiel Palacios pulled one back in the 30th, two minutes before Schick equalized with a deft chip over the Heidenheim goalkeeper. Florian Wirtz crossed for Schick’s second in the 52nd and substitute Arthur crossed for his hat trick in the 71st.

Granit Xhaka completed the scoring before celebrating by sucking his thumb and making a baby gesture.

Leverkusen's injury concerns increased with Jeremie Frimpong limping off before the break and Martin Terrier going off late with an apparent hand injury.

Dortmund beat visiting Freiburg 4-0, easing the pressure on Nuri Sahin after four league defeats already this season. The visitors finished the game with nine players.

Dortmund was without Serhou Guirassy because of illness.

Before the match, Freiburg fans had protested against the home team’s sponsor, the arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, with banners referring to the company with an expletive, and another saying, “No war on people, war on the federations!”

The sponsorship deal is set to be a major topic at Dortmund's AGM on Sunday.

Mario Götze scored on his 100th Frankfurt appearance in a 1-0 win over visiting Werder Bremen.

The German midfielder rifled the ball in before the break after a good layoff from Hugo Ekitiké.

Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush worked hard but was unable to add to his 11 league goals so far this season.

Jacob Bruun Larsen scored late for Hoffenheim to beat Leipzig 4-3 in coach Christian Ilzer's debut. Ilzer‘s team came from behind three times to prevail.

It's Leipzig's fourth straight game without a win and third away defeat in a row.

Stuttgart enjoyed a 2-0 win over Bochum, and Wolfsburg defeated Union Berlin 1-0.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Bremen's Milos Veljkovic, left, and Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike fight for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen in Frankfurt Main, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)

Frankfurt's Tuta, left, and Bremen's Senne Lynen fight for a header during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen in Frankfurt Main, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)

Hoffenheim's scorer Tom Bischof celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig in Sinsheim, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

Stuttgart's scorer Justin Diehl, left, and his teammate Ermedin Demirovic, right, celebrate their side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and VfL Bochum in Stuttgart, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Wolfsburg's Maximilian Arnold, center, celebrates after the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Union Berlin in Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Swen Pfoertner/dpa via AP)

Freiburg's goalkeeper Noah Atubolu saves by Dortmund's Maximilian Beier during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and SC Freiburg at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Dortmund's Felix Nmecha celebrates after scoring during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and SC Freiburg at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, right, celebrates after scoring with his teammate Julian Brandt during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and SC Freiburg at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, right, celebrates after scoring with his teammate Felix Nmecha during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and SC Freiburg at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Leverkusen's scorer Patrik Schick, right, and his teammate Florian Wirtz celebrate their side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)

Leverkusen's scorer Patrik Schick, right, and his teammates celebrate their side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)

Leverkusen's scorer Patrik Schick, front right, and his teammate Arthur Augusto, left, celebrate their side's fourth goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Marius Becker/dpa via AP)