Mexican Police Arrest At Least 65 'Normalista' Students

Mexican police arrested at least 65 "normalista" students on Saturday in Morelia, La Jornada reported. "Normalistas" are secondary school students training to become educators across the country, like the 43 who were kidnapped in 2014 in Iguala.

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The arrests reportedly took place after a protest organized by students from the Normal Rural School Vasco de Quiroga at the Attorney State General Office, or PGJE.

Eight commercial buses packed with students traveled to PGJE offices at around 3:00 p.m. local time. The students attempted to rescue six classmates who were arrested the day before during a march in Lagunilla.

The group of students demonstrated in the parking lot of the federal facility and began throwing objects at the building, according to the Public Security Under-Secretary Carlos Gomez Arrieta.

Around 200 Michoacan anti-riot police officers soon surrounded the protesting students. Police immediately suppressed the demonstration, beating the students with bats and spraying them with tear gas. A number of students attempting to escape down side streets and fences were quickly apprehended.

Several locals recorded the incident on social media, circulating images and videos showing officers throwing demonstrators to the ground before arresting them.

According to local media sources, 13 other students were apprehended in homes in the vicinity, where they had taken refuge. Three officers and several students were reportedly injured during the confrontation. The Ministry of Public Security reported that two of the officers were severely injured and transferred to nearby hospitals.

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The six students who were arrested the day before were holding a march against police repression.

Protesters from "normalista" education facilities in Isidro Burgos Garcia, Ayotzinapa and Guerrero carried their demonstration to the streets Friday, setting up roadblocks and closing down a major public highway. Police also arrested the student who organized the demonstration.

Some reports claimed the majority of Saturday’s detainees were from Guerrero, Michoacan, Puebla and Oaxaca.

PGJE reports that detainees will be released upon paying a minimum fine of 34 pesos ($1.80 US).