Mass Murder Of 43 College Students In Mexico Sparks Downtown LA Protest
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The apparent mass murder of 43 college students in Mexico touched off a protest in downtown Los Angeles Saturday.
Mexican gang members reportedly confessed to murdering the 43 students last seen in September.
Authorities on Friday announced on Mexican television that gang members led them to the trash bags containing the incinerated remains of the students. Some of the remains had been reportedly dumped in a river.
The Mexican Attorney General, Jesus Murillo Karam, answered questions for about an hour before telling reporters "Ya me canse" which translates roughly into "Enough, I'm tired."
Mexicans here and abroad expressed outrage over what they consider the AG's cavalier and callous response to the massacre that allegedly occurred in the city of Iguala.
More than 70 people have been arrested in connection with the massacre including Iguala's mayor and his wife.
KCAL9's Bobby Kaple said more than 75 people marched in front of the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles Saturday and called for the Mexican president to resign.
David Solis, a Chicano Studies student from CSUN who wants to be a teacher, was among the protesters.
"I think it was absurd," Solis said, "it actually brings pain to me as a student. I might not be there but I know some of the similar struggles."
Before Karam told reporters he was tired of their questions, he said the students -- on orders of the Iguana mayor to police -- abducted the students and handed them over to a gang. The mayor was reportedly worried the students were planning to protest an event led by his wife.
"The government is corrupt and from very small pueblos and mayors to all the way up so it's about making sure that justice is served," explained Felecia Montes about why she was protesting.
Los Angeles teacher Ron Gochez organized the rally.
"What's been happening over there is completely a mixture of the government and these narcotic cartels. That's there they fund themselves," Gochez said.
"For the government to say that it wasn't them, that it was organized crime, they are pointing the finger at themselves," Gochez said, "Because these are the same exact people. They had no right to murder these kids, to beat them, to burn them and throw their ashes in the river."