On September 3 of this year, the peaceful demonstration called by students at two schools of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) was attacked by a group of “porros.” In Mexico, “porros” are shock-groups of (often fake) students who try to break student strikes in high schools or universities or themselves strike against leftist school leaders. These groups have been historically used in Mexico by the state, school governing bodies, and political parties to combat dissent. Today they operate as mercenaries for a policy of fear imposed on the education system. The attack injured at least fourteen people.

Since August, the students of the CCH Azcapotzalco have been protesting to demand full contracts for teachers, to oppose the “cleaning” of the murals used by the students to express homage or social critique, and to insist there should be no retaliation against students participating in the movement, among other things. CCH Oriente students struck in solidarity with their colleagues from CCH Azcapotzalco and to demand justice for Miranda Mendoza, a student murdered, aged just eighteen.

On the day after the attack, more than thirty campuses (high schools, faculties, postgraduate schools) of UNAM declared a 48- to 72-hour strike. Major assemblies took place the following days to discuss strategy and shared demands. Between the assemblies, lasting up to ten hours, students organized a communications network and debated such questions as democratizing the education system and combating gender violence and sexual harassment. Labor unions and other educational institutions expressed their solidarity with the strike and repudiation of the violence committed against students.