Bogotá, 21 Mar This Monday was condemned by various sectors of society a protest of hooded men who entered the Primada Cathedral of Colombia in Bogotá, on Sunday during the celebration of a mass, to demonstrate with harangues against the Catholic Church and which ended in a struggle with parishioners. Videos posted on social media show how the hooded men stood on the cathedral chairs and began to make a proclamation against the Church, which upset the mass-goers who tried to expel the protesters. The situation led to a struggle that forced the police to enter the temple, after which the hooded men, led by a woman, left the compound. The appearance of the hooded men in the Primada Cathedral, located on one side of the central Plaza de Bolivar, in Bogotá, was condemned by the Government, political parties, religious organizations and various social groups because it was a violation of the freedom of worship enshrined in the Constitution. Colombian President Iván Duque said he “outraged the violation of freedom of religion, the aggression of the beliefs of others and the intention to trample on a sacred temple.” “This is what violent and intolerant people who want to impose their judgment do. Responsible will be held accountable for those facts. Everyone's faith is respected,” the president said on Twitter. For her part, the mayor of Bogotá, Claudia López, said on Twitter that her administration “rejects this act and supports the church attacked in the legal actions it decides to take.” “Respect for freedom of religion and worship is the foundation of our peaceful coexistence. Those who attack her by imposing themselves exercise the same violent break that they say they criticize,” said the mayor. The Archdiocese of Bogotá said in a statement that the police and the Cathedral staff “took care of the situation” and managed to remove people from the temple. “The Church calls for respect for religious venues and celebrations that are part of the life of all the Colombian people,” said the Archdiocese. That is why he invited “to find the right scenarios so that all people can be heard and also to respect the rights of all, including the right to profess a religion and perform acts of worship in peace and harmony”. In the same vein, the director of the Jewish Community of Colombia, Marcos Peckel, rejected on Twitter “the arrival of cowards hooded in the Primate Cathedral of Colombia in the middle of mass, a violent act that goes against freedom of religion.” CHIEF jga/joc/lll