Over a 100 People Wounded in Oaxaca After Riot Police Breaks Up Protest

Por Axel Alcal el April 13, 2017

Oaxaca's teacher union protests reached a tragic point yesterday when riot control forces ended up clashing with a group of teachers setting up a blockade on the highway between Oaxaca and Puebla, one of the biggest in the state, leaving 55 civilians wounded by firearms and some 50 officers hurt by blunt objects, with 6 deaths confirmed so far.

The protesters were teachers affiliated with Mexico's National Coordination for Education Workers (CNTE) and their supporters, while the riot control groups were a part of the Federal Police Forces.

The teachers were protesting Mexico's recent educational reform, which was passed back in 2015, after Oaxaca's state government refused to open dialog with them a few weeks ago. Oaxaca has a long and storied history of teacher-led protests against perceived injustices against their worker's rights.

Mexico's National Security Commission stated that the riot control agents carried no live ammo, but gunshot sounds can be heard on several videos posted on social media by witnesses. Still, the deaths of six people present at the site are being handled as the work of "unknown gunmen" that opened fire against both civilians and police officers.

Meanwhile, Oaxaca's governor, Gabino Cué, was present at a wedding in Guerrero before this situation forced him to go back, although the only thing he has done officially was declaring that, again, the riot control forced had no live ammo, only riot shields.