Mexican Riot Police Clash With Economic Forum Protesters

CANCUN, Mexico â€”  Riot police beat and kicked rock-throwing protesters Tuesday during demonstrations to demand that political and business leaders gathered at a resort hotel here do more for the world’s poor.

Several bleeding protesters were loaded onto ambulances, and many more suffered cuts and bruises. About 30 were detained in the fracas, which occurred shortly after Mexican President Vicente Fox delivered the closing speech at the World Economic Forum’s meeting.

After a nearly three-hour standoff interspersed with rock-throwing, police charged through the barricades, chasing the protesters through one of the city’s main intersections and firing tear gas.

One policeman shouted, “Come back, dogs!�

The protesters, who earlier had shouted “Assassins!� at police, ripped up manhole covers and scattered debris across the streets of the tourist resort.

A police spokesman said three officers were injured, and at least one local journalist said he was struck in the head by a rock thrown by police.

In his speech, Fox responded to the protesters’ concerns with a promise to increase education and social services for the poor.

Fox also called on the private sector to help put a “human face� on globalization.

“Wealth without distribution is not sustainable or human,� the president said. “We can’t close our eyes to the millions of people in the world and in Mexico who live on a dollar a day.�