What's happening:

Colombian farmers are striking because of what they've always been striking about. A neoliberalized nation that controls all aspects of input and output with a small strata of white Spanish-Colombians controlling a monopoly on the food markets. This particular strike started in 2012 and continues to this day, and is a part of the diverse grassroots leftism of Latin America that has seen so many old orders toppled.

Among the great things that the Bogota police have done is follow farmers home, trash their property, and tear gas their families (inside their own homes). It led to the government caving in and granting farmers subsidies to offset the widespread bankruptcy caused by cheap imports. In Colombia, it is cheaper to buy coffee imported than it is to buy Colombian coffee sold domestically. Amongst their other concerns were the widespread destruction of traditional farming lands by international mining syndicates and the continued militarize pressure on indigenous groups to vacate their land.

So, no, Colombian police are not more sensible than ours.