Who are the criminal gangs who attacked UNAM students?

On Monday, a group of criminals attacked UNAM students with stones, Molotov cocktails, and explosives , who were carrying out a pacific demonstration outside the Dean's office , in CU , the UNAM's main campus .

Enrique Graue Wiechers

, the UNAM's Dean , identified the aggressors as students from criminal groups formed inside the CCH Azcapotzalco, CCH Vallejo , and CCH Naucalpan ; the UNAM's high schools.

In Mexico , these criminal groups are known as “porros” . According to Imanol Ordorika , a researcher from the UNAM's Economy Research Institute , these groups originated in the 50s, where violence and university gangs from traditional backgrounds merged with the authoritarianism and ways of the Mexican government.

He says that “the connection between these gangs who worked from the university's authorities, and the government, the football teams , and their followers, give them their name, “porros” , which is used until today”.

Imanol Ordorika

explains that the “porros” and their attacks have political overtones , and they try to provoke.

In the face of the attacks against the UNAM students , 41 UNAM schools, including University Faculties and high schools , and other institutions from the ENAH , and the UPN , have joined the 24, 48, 72 hours strikes organized by UNAM students.

A demonstration outside the Dean's office was scheduled for today and will be attended by students from the IPN , and the UAM Xochimilco .

The conflict began on August 27, when students from the CCH Azcapotzalco protested against the lack of teachers and the presence of “porros” in the campus. The next day, alleged “porros” attacked the students who were protesting.

Then, the high school's director, María Guadalupe Márquez had quit and Andrés Francisco Palacios Meza was named as the new director the next day.

The CCH students organize a demonstration outside the Dean's office , in the UNAM's main campus , also known as CU , on September 3.

They joined members of the CCH Oriente , who were protesting against the murder of Miranda Mendoza , an 18-year-old student who was murdered last week.

While the students were holding a meeting, the criminal groups attacked them with rocks, explosives, and beat them. Two protesters are injured, and one of them could lose his kidney.

After the attack, Enrique Graue announced that the UNAM had expelled 18 individuals involved in the criminal attack.

Mexico City's mayo

r revealed that the attack was organized and planned, as the criminals arrived in armed and in buses to the UNAM campus.

Army shot bazooka at students during the 1968 conflict

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