Anti-Bush protests turn violent

MEXICO CITY – Hundreds of demonstrators marched to the US embassy in Mexico City on Tuesday to protest the visit of US President George W Bush, attacking riot police with concrete blocks, metal bars and firecrackers and tearing down barricades.

Mexican police responded with tear gas, pepper spray, and baton charges, throwing back rocks and clubbing demonstrators down. Several protesters were arrested or injured, one with blood pouring from his head.The demonstrators burned US flags and waved banners with slogans against the US president such as, “Bush you are not welcome in Mexico.Go to Hell.”Bush was hundreds of kilometres away in the south-eastern city of Merida meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on the last stop of his tour of Latin America.The vast majority of Mexicans oppose the war in Iraq and many also blame Bush for tough anti-immigration policies.”We are in disagreement with the war policy,” of Bush, said craftswoman Guadalupe Fernandez, 64, who was marching but not involved in the violence.A group of about 30 masked protesters clad in black led the attack on the thick lines of riot police defending the US embassy.The protesters ripped away a section of metal barricade and attacked the officers, unleashing a constant barrage of concrete they had ripped from the street and using metal fences as battering rams.They also attacked officers with sticks, metal bars and blow torches made out of spray cans.When police fired tear gas and charged, the protesters scattered in all directions.Lorenzo Fernandez, the commanding officer at the scene, said the police were only defending themselves.”These are people who don’t know how to demonstrate pacifically,” Fernandez said.In Merida, about 100 protesters marched to Bush’s hotel for the second night in a row carrying Mexican flags and calling the US president a “murderer”.A small group of police tried to block their path but protesters pushed passed them and pounded on high metal security barriers outside the hotel in an unsuccessful attempt to bring them down.Some protesters ripped up chunks of concrete from sidewalks and hurled them over the barrier at riot police lining the other side.The officers did not respond.Bush was away from his hotel having dinner with Calderon.Tourists dining at sidewalk cafes watched curiously and took photographs and videos of the protests with their cellphones.Nampa-AFPSeveral protesters were arrested or injured, one with blood pouring from his head.The demonstrators burned US flags and waved banners with slogans against the US president such as, “Bush you are not welcome in Mexico.Go to Hell.”Bush was hundreds of kilometres away in the south-eastern city of Merida meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on the last stop of his tour of Latin America.The vast majority of Mexicans oppose the war in Iraq and many also blame Bush for tough anti-immigration policies.”We are in disagreement with the war policy,” of Bush, said craftswoman Guadalupe Fernandez, 64, who was marching but not involved in the violence.A group of about 30 masked protesters clad in black led the attack on the thick lines of riot police defending the US embassy.The protesters ripped away a section of metal barricade and attacked the officers, unleashing a constant barrage of concrete they had ripped from the street and using metal fences as battering rams.They also attacked officers with sticks, metal bars and blow torches made out of spray cans.When police fired tear gas and charged, the protesters scattered in all directions.Lorenzo Fernandez, the commanding officer at the scene, said the police were only defending themselves.”These are people who don’t know how to demonstrate pacifically,” Fernandez said.In Merida, about 100 protesters marched to Bush’s hotel for the second night in a row carrying Mexican flags and calling the US president a “murderer”.A small group of police tried to block their path but protesters pushed passed them and pounded on high metal security barriers outside the hotel in an unsuccessful attempt to bring them down.Some protesters ripped up chunks of concrete from sidewalks and hurled them over the barrier at riot police lining the other side.The officers did not respond.Bush was away from his hotel having dinner with Calderon.Tourists dining at sidewalk cafes watched curiously and took photographs and videos of the protests with their cellphones.Nampa-AFP