Sixteen People Injured in Clashes Between Police, Students in Mexico

At least 16 people were injured on Friday in clashes between police and students in the Mexican central state of Michoacan de Ocampo, local authorities have said.

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) — According to preliminary data, the students had allegedly hijacked five buses with the intention of travelling to Mexico City to take part in public protests to mark the first anniversary of the disappearance of students in the southwestern Mexican city of Iguala, in the state of Guerrero.

Police intercepted the buses on the road between the cities of Morelia and Patzcuaro, leading to clashes between the students and law enforcement officers, reportedly involving the use of stones and tear gas.

In addition, the rioters attacked a group of reporters, who were trying to document the clashes.

A year ago, 43 students went missing in Iguala after protesting against discriminatory hiring and funding practices in the city. The students were last seen being forced into police vans after the officers had opened fire on a crowd, killing six.

Initially, the authorities blamed the alleged abduction on local drug cartels and criminal gangs, while additional evidence, provided by independent experts, pointed to local police and army involvement in the kidnappings.

Over 100 people have been arrested in relation to the case of the disappeared students, including a former mayor of Iguala and a number of police officers.