Protests for water in Guadalajara, Congress building set on fire

During the peaceful march against dirty water in Guadalajara, violent infiltrated groups threw Molotov cocktails and firecrackers at the doors of Congress and the government palace, setting fires. The riots broke out in the late afternoon when most of the protesters had already retreated. According to some witnesses, the extreme fringes of the "black bloc" were paid to cause riots and raise tension.

The officers in riot gear did not surround the violent men. Some policemen instead welcomed the demonstrations by displaying signs with the words "No clashes" and "Let's not argue, we are citizens too". However, state authorities intervened and stopped a couple of vans, including a stolen vehicle with petrol cans on board. The final toll updated by local institutions is five people arrested.

Governor Pablo Lemus confirmed the arrests for the fires.

The politician explained that "by the Government, adjustments have been made to the accompaniment and security strategy for the demonstrators". He then added that "the priority was to protect people, avoid clashes and ensure that citizens exercised their right to express themselves freely".