THOUSANDS OF MEXICAN POLICE FIRING TEAR GAS FOUGHT A RUNNING BATTLE WITH STRIKING TEACHERS IN A SOUTHERN CITY ON WEDNESDAY IN THE LATEST VIOLENCE BETWEEN PROTESTERS AND SECURITY FORCES BEFORE JULY ELECTIONS, REUTERS REPORTED. THE TEACHERS' UNION SAID TWO OF ITS MEMBERS AND A CHILD WERE KILLED WHEN POLICE FORCED THE TEACHERS OUT OF THE MAIN SQUARE IN THE CITY OF OAXACA, BUT STATE GOV. ULISES RUIZ DENIED THAT ON LOCAL RADIO. WITNESSES AND PRESS REPORTS SAID SHOTS WERE FIRED DURING CLASHES IN DOWNTOWN STREETS. ONE POLICEMAN WAS SHOT IN THE LEG. BEFORE DAWN IN COLONIAL, HIGHLAND OAXACA, POLICE ON FOOT AND IN HELICOPTERS USED TEAR GAS TO DISPERSE TEACHERS, WHO HAVE OCCUPIED THE CITY'S MAIN PLAZA AND SURROUNDING STREETS FOR THREE WEEKS TO PRESS THEIR DEMAND FOR HIGHER WAGES. OAXACA IS THE CAPITAL OF THE SOUTHERN STATE OF THE SAME NAME. "THERE ARE TWO DEAD, (AND) WE HAVE A DEAD CHILD WHO WAS ASPHYXIATED INSIDE THE UNION BUILDING BY TEAR GAS FIRED BY REPRESSIVE FORCES SINCE 3 A.M.," UNION SPOKESMAN DANIEL ROSAS TOLD REPORTERS. HE DENIED OFFICIAL REPORTS THAT THE TEACHERS CARRIED HIGH-POWERED WEAPONS. THE 40,000 TEACHERS VOWED TO CONTINUE THE STRIKE, AND MOVED BACK INTO THE CENTRAL SQUARE LATER IN THE MORNING. BY MIDDAY ON WEDNESDAY, DOWNTOWN OAXACA WAS A GHOST TOWN OTHER THAN THE TEACHERS IN THE SQUARE, WITH SHOPS SHUTTERED AND RESIDENTS HOLED UP INSIDE THEIR HOMES.
