OAXACA, Mexico, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Mexican police moved into the central square of Oaxaca Sunday afternoon, apparently ending a five-month takeover by union members and political activists.
Thousands of officers dressed in riot gear and equipped with shields and water cannon moved slowly but steadily through the town, The New York Times reported. While some protesters threw rocks, the kind of deadly violence that had been anticipated did not occur.
Mexican President Vicente Fox ordered police to move in after three people, including a U.S. photographer, were killed.
Oaxaca -- an old town known for its cobbled streets and its picturesque Zocalo or main square -- has seen few tourists in recent months. Police appeared to be in control of the square by the time the sun went down Sunday.
The protest began in May with the annual ritual of teachers going on strike and gathering in the Zocalo. But Gov. Ulises Ruiz decided to hang tough instead of giving them a raise.
Ruiz's ouster became the protesters' new goal. Eventually, he granted the teachers a raise and they are scheduled to return to work Monday.
