Michoacan Vigilantes Mark First Anniversary of Uprising as Movement Spreads Associated Press
go to original February 24, 2014

Hundreds of members of the armed "autodefensa" militia movement gathered in the town of La Ruana Monday for a ceremony celebrating the first anniversary of their armed uprising against the Knights Templar. (RuptlyTV)

AJUCHITLAN - Hundreds of vigilantes have gathered in the western Mexico state of Michoacan to celebrate the anniversary of a movement that chased a violent drug cartel out of many of its strongholds.

The "self-defence" forces organized a Monday Mass to honor those who died in the fight to expel the Knights Templar drug cartel, and vow not to permit such abuses again.

Their example has spread to the neighbouring state of Guerrero, where about 100 representatives of mountain towns met Sunday to form their own self-defence movement. Many at the meeting carried assault rifles.

After a fierce gunbattle in Guerrero's mountains last week, villagers met in the hamlet of Four Crosses to form the Council of Towns of the High Mountains of Guerrero for protection from the La Familia drug cartel.

See the original at The Winsor Star

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