Two students shot dead during protest in southwestern Mexico

Two students shot dead during protest in southwestern Mexico

2011-12-13 05:57:28 GMT+7 (ICT)

CHILPANCINGO, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) -- Two Mexican students were killed on Monday morning when a group of protesting students clashed with police in the southwestern state of Guerrero, officials said.

The group of students from the Ayotzinapa Teacher Training College (Escuela Normal de Ayotzinapa) in Chilpancingo, the capital of Guerrero, protested on Monday morning near and on the El Sol highway on the outskirts of the city, which leads to the popular port city of Acapulco.

The students were protesting against the imposition of a new university director, which has caused strikes and the cancellation of classes during the last month. Students claim the State Education Secretary has lacked interest in resolving issues regarding the students, and Governor Angel Aguirre Rivero has failed to answer a letter of demands on behalf of the students.

During the demonstration on Monday, more than 200 state police officers attempted to disperse the crowds by deploying tear gas. However, the protesting crowds retaliated against officers by hurling stones, sticks and Molotov cocktails.

As a result, police forces opened fire, killing two of the protesting students. One of them laid in the middle of one of the highway lanes which heads toward Acapulco while the second victim laid face-down on the other side of the highway, according to reports.

During the clashes, one of the gas pumps at a nearby gas station was set on fire, resulting in the closure of all four highway lanes. The clashes ended at around noon local time, but federal and ministerial police, as well as army personnel, were not able to control the area until 12.45 p.m. local time.

Juan Alarcon, the President of Guerrero's Human Rights Commission, also showed up at the scene and condemned the 'aggression' by police against the students. He also criticized the state's failure to address the issues before they escalated.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-12-13