Life during wartime.. Oaxaca City under siege, by Michael McCaughan

...
“be careful my friend, people die all the time.’ came the warning from a passerby outside Oaxaca university this afternoon. In his shorts and t-shirt he strolled off in the opposite direction, looking like he was going to the beach.

In the meantime hundreds of people swarmed through side streets close to the University to challenge the Federal police as they fought street by street to disperse supporters of the popular movement, APPO.

This was the war of the flea as protestors outnumbered police by ten to one but were in turn outgunned by the well-armed and trigger happy troops. Several serious injuries have been reported but so far today, no fatalities.

The battle was uneven to the point of suicidal. And yet the people won.
...