Media gets Beat up in Juarez

Juárez reporter claims police beat him, 3 others outside Calderón meeting

El Paso Times

Ciudad Juarez, Chih - A reporter says federal police beat him and three colleagues while they tried to interview protesters outside the Camino Real Hotel, where Mexican President Felipe Calderón was meeting with people.

David Fuentes, reporter with Juárez television station Channel 5, said police asked him to move from the area where protesters had gathered.

"They threw us to the floor and started beating us up," he said.

He said police also beat two radio reporters and a reporter for La Polaka, an Internet news operation.

Police executives were not immediately available to respond to the allegations.

Dozens of protesters displayed banners with the words "Calderón asesino" -- Spanish for Calderón assassin.

In the hotel, about 700 people listened to representatives of various Juárez groups who shared ideas with Calderón in areas such as public safety, health and education.

Calderón will speak later today at the Camino Real Hotel in Juárez. This is his second trip to the city in a week.

Juárez has become one of the world's most violent cities. More than 2,600 murders occurred in Juárez last year.

Monitor elpasotimes.com for updates and see Thursday's print edition for more details.