Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group held a solidarity protest on the east end of Princes Street on Saturday 16th as part of the the network of UK Zapatista solidarity group national week of action, awareness raising, protest and fundraising in support of the people's struggle in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Local school children spontaneously joined the protest when they heard about the repression of striking Oaxacan teachers. They took placards and leaflets and began enthusiastically speaking to passing Christmas shoppers, insisting that they inform themselves about the worsening situation in Mexico. The children and activists handed out hundreds of leaflets documenting the situation; collected substantial donations from the public; and displayed a large banner.

Chants and shouts from the children included “Teachers are being killed in Mexico!”, “Oaxaca Libre!” and “Democracy for Mexico!”, while they marched around with the placards, demanding donations from the public to help political prisoners.

The conflict in Oaxaca began on June 14th when striking teachers in the central square of Oaxaca City were brutally attacked by riot police under the orders of the corrupt state governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz. Since then between 300 and 500 people have been ‘disappeared’ or arrested, and at least 17 people have been killed. During the attacks, the people of Oaxaca have been self-organising from the grassroots to resist the oppression from the state

More on the Oaxaca uprising:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2006/oaxaca/ ;  http://www.narconews.com/

For information about what you can do to help email  edinchiapas@yahoo.co.uk and visit  http://www.edinchiapas.org.uk