Normalistas hold head of municipal police hostage

36 hours after students from several different teachers' colleges (known in Mexico as normalistas) in the state of Michoacán started a new round of violent protests, eight cars have been burned down, two police officers have been injured, 49 students have been arrested, and head of the Chilchota municipal police, Alfredo Lucio Ríos Chávez, has been taken hostage.

The students demand the release of protesters accused of arson, violent attacks and other crimes in exchange for Ríos Chávez. To put pressure on authorities, they burned down four more vehicles in the town of Aranza.

The students released an audio clip where Ríos Chávez can be heard asking for help.

In the 32-second recording that the students personally sent to the media, including EL UNIVERSAL, Ríoz Chávez can be heard repeating what the students tell him to say. The students also threaten to lynch and burn the head of the municipal police if their demands aren't met.

The protests took a violent turn when Michoacán state police officers responded by taking back eight vehicles the students had robbed.