Authorities say the students went through the main entrance of the La Moneda palace today, pretending to be tourists. They then ran to a patio that is off-limits to tourists and pulled out a sign that said: "Notice: Today begins the offensive."
Palace guards arrested 19. The rest escaped.
President Michelle Bachelet ran for her second term promising free university education, but many pieces of her ambitious educational reform have stalled.
Beginning this year, about 150,000 students from low-income families will be able to study for free. But many students are angry that the university benefit hasn't extended further.