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Mexico Arrests 28 As Instigators of Anti-jewish Riot

February 3, 1939
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Twenty-eight instigators of the recent anti-Jewish riots in Mexico City have been arrested and the Government has reaffirmed its opposition to racial prejudices, according to an exchange of telegrams between the American Jewish Congress and the Mexican Ambassador in Washington, made public by the Congress today.

On Jan. 27, Dr. Stephen S. Wise and Louis Lipsky, on behalf of the congress, telegraphed Ambassador Francisco Castillo Najera: “We are appalled to here of almost incredible reports of anti-Jewish riots under the flag of the Mexican Republic. Assume your Government will take all possible steps to prevent recurrence and to bring to justice not only those immediately responsible for the outrages, but the forces which instigated this heinous imitation of Nazi practices.”

On Jan. 28, Mr. Castillo Najera replied: “Your telegram received. Mexican Government cannot in any way be held responsible for riots to which you refer. In agreement with the highest postulates of Mexico’s social revolution, Mexican Government is emphatically opposed to any racial prejudices. You may be assured that the law will be applied in the case of those individuals directly responsible for said riots.”

On Jan. 31 the Ambassador telegraphed further: “Concerning my telegram of Jan. 28, please note that 28 instigators directly responsible for the anti-Jewish riots in Mexico City have already been arrested, according to official information just received from my Government.”

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