"My son Oscar was brutally, intentionally run over and crushed by two skunks," said Cortéz. "Miraculously is alive. This barbarism, endorsed by the minister of the interior and the state of Chile, must stop!"

Santiago Metropolitan Province police superintendent Felipe Guevara expressed on Twitter his "regret" for the Friday evening assault. The driver was reportedly arrested and arraigned on Saturday, but the public was not allowed into the courtroom during the alleged arraignment.

Valeria Pérez told reporters outside of the courtroom that the family would not be satisfied with only the guilt of the driver of the vehicle.

"As a family we want it to be known, this is the guilt of the state," said Valeria Pérez.

Despite the police rhetoric after the attack on Perez, clashes on Saturday saw security forces continuing to use excessive force on protesters.

In the months since the protest movement exploded in October 3,557 people have reportedly been injured by police forces. There have also been reports of police disappearing protesters since the movement began.