Protesters Set Fire to Mexico's Guerrero Congress over Missing Students

Protesters Set Fire to Mexico's Guerrero Congress over Missing Students

Mexican protesters set fire to congress and the education department’s audit office in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, as anger over the 43 missing students grows. Gavino Garay reports.

Mexico’s Guerrero state congress is in flames. Hundreds of protesters set fire to the building as anger boils over the feared massacre of 43 student teachers in September. Locals say masked protesters stormed the building and managed to set fire to the voting chamber. Firefighting director Eduardo Cabanas says he’s thankful no one was inside.

DIRECTOR OF FIREFIGHTERS IN CHILPANCINGO, EDUARDO CABANAS, SAYING: “Right up to this moment, we were fighting the fire which housed the facilities of the internal taxes of the state and then we received a report that there was a fire in the congress. Fortunately, they were able to evacuate everyone and there was only material damage.” Earlier in the day, the protesters broke into the education department’s audit office in Chilpancingo and set it on fire as well. Some local residents say burning the city isn’t the solution.

LOCAL RESIDENT, CONSTANTINO GARCIA, SAYING: “God willing this type of vandalism does not repeat itself, this is not the way. I think that this is not what society hopes for when demanding justice.” Anger has been mounting after authorities reported last week that evidence points to the 43 students as being murdered, with their charred remains found in a garbage dump and river.

Read the full story at Reuters.

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