Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has condemned violent protests over the apparent massacre of 43 students after demonstrators set fire to the door of his ceremonial palace in Mexico City.
Tens of thousands of Mexicans have taken to the streets to protest the government’s handling of the case of the missing students, and a group of protesters in central Mexico City set fire to the door of the National Palace on Saturday night.
The group, carrying torches, broke away from what had been a mostly peaceful protest demanding justice for the students. They briefly set the door on fire and spraypainted the words “we want them back alive” on the 16th-century building.
Police put out the flames and enforced fencing designed to keep the protesters away from the National Palace.
The students, who were abducted six weeks ago, were apparently murdered and incinerated by corrupt police in league with drug gang members. The violent protests came a day after authorities said suspected gang hitmen confessed to the killings.
The case is the toughest challenge yet to face Pena Nieto, who took office two years ago vowing to restore order in Mexico, where about 100,000 people have died in violence linked to organized crime since 2007.
