Sunday, December 18, 2011

Mexican Security Forces Kill Two Student Teachers


At least two student teachers were killed by security forces in Mexico this week, according to the Los Angeles Times and the Teacher Solidarity website. The student teachers were participating in a protest demanding increased funding for their college and were shot while blockading a road in Guerrero state. At least 20 other demonstrators were arrested and two others were seriously injured. The national teachers union is calling the deaths an act of "repression" and "murder" and called for protest demonstrations.

The confrontation occurred Monday on the highway connecting Mexico City to Acapulco. Between 300 and 500 unarmed students and activists connected with the teachers college blocked the Autopista del Sol to demand increased funding for the Raul Isidro Burgos normal college in Ayotzinapa. Students were accused of throwing projectiles at the police and the police shot tear gas and then fired into the crowd. Federal, state and ministerial police were involved, as well as the army and armed cops in plainclothes.

A student witness said the federal police fired first at the demonstrators and that the students, who were unarmed, did not throw anything until after they had been fired upon by the police.

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