One of the UACM "strikers" (by the name Uriel Sandoval Díaz) was badly hurt, and lost an eye, while participating in the riots of December the 1st, in Mexico City. You can get an idea of what it was like from this videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGv_vYLitdU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLKZqHvthaw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0VnF1k38ik
The mayhem was brought by scarcely one thousand persons, and was reduced to a fairly small portion of downtown Mexico City. It lasted about five hours. The final result was: one person dead (one of the "protesters,") some one hundred and twenty injured, most of them policemen, and a net loss of more than seven hundred million USD in private property. In total, 95 persons where detained, sixteen of which walked free.
The Mexico City Mayor, Mr. Ebrard, immediately stated, without the shadow of a doubt, that this riots where carefully staged in advanced, and most media agree. He also disclosed that some of the rioters admitted being paid in advanced some 20 USD for their participation.
It is still unknown how many of detainees are UACM "students."
It remains to be seen if some of the fire extinguishers used against the police can be traced as stolen UACM property, but many faculty members (including myself) strongly believe so.
I will not tire you with the many intricacies of mexican politics. Just let me say: we, the honest faculty members at UACM, prevented the authorities that this kind of thing was prone to happen.
Yet, City goverment officials and the local legislature are still bent on giving the university senate, with a ribbon, to the "strikers."
I am starting to look for a new job.
