Reply #56: March Note #2- OSAG by Nancy Davies

[Wiley50]

The march arrived at Santo Domingo about 1:40 PM. Among the marchers men, women, and children of all ages arrived unmolested, carrying banners and slogans against Ulises Ruiz and condeming Fox for sending the PFP. No Federal Police accosted them along the way, although in precaution the women from the Mixteca carried sharpened sticks and the men carried iron rebars -none of them young people since most of the mountain towns survive bereft of their young people who migrated.

Young people did participate, but not as many as one might have thought, from what these photos show. The crowd continued arriving for about two hours -I would guess maybe 300,00 but I have no official count as yet. Photographers swarmed on the streets and roofs. APPO and teacher leaders addressed the crowd in front of Santo Domingo, and congratulated them on their courage and dignity. The streets around Santo Domingo were completely filled with the protest marchers.

As it begins to darken, the radio mentions that the FPF could be nasty if poeple try to enter the zocalo. Up until now they have not, and discipline is holding well. In fact, people are weary and want peace, with the PFP out of their state. The tanquetes and police were clearly visible at the southern end of the street parallel to Santo Domingo. They did not venture away from the empty zocalo.

The shooters by dark have repeatedly been identified as PRIistas or their hired thugs. The young student shot this morning is surviving, although there has been a hassle at the public hospital. The nurse director wants Sanchez Martinez (?) moved to a special hospital, but since he is a student he's entitled to public services and the radio is calling for mothers to go to the hospital in aid of the youngster's family to demand that he not be moved. La Doctora, a medical doctor who teaches at he university, says he's better off where he is.