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Witness History: The 1968 Mexico City massacre

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The 1968 Mexico City massacre

10/07/2024 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, The 1968 Mexico City massacre

The massacre in Mexico City in October 1968, 10 days before the Olympics

In October 1968, soldiers opened fire on a demonstration by university students in Tlatelolco Plaza in Mexico City.

On 2 October 1968, thousands of students protested in Mexico City, 10 days before the Olympics.

The students wanted the government to free political prisoners and respect their right to protest.

More than 4,000 activists came to the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in the capital's Tlatelolco district that evening.

It resulted in the Mexican government opening fire on the protesters. The death toll has never been confirmed, a government report from the time put it at 26, while student leaders estimated it at more than 100.

In 2011, one of the young protesters, David Huerta, spoke to Julian Miglierini.

(Photo: Students arrested by police in Tlatelolco on 2 October 1968. Credit: Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images)

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