Removal of peaceful protest in Sonora

Over 100 protesters, from the self-named Juan Pueblo group, were removed, during the early hours of Sunday, from the encampment on the cross-border rail tracks in Nogales, Sonora, by members of the local police.

Tens of police patrols arrived to the site around 3:30 a.m., while protesters redeployed to the gate between Mexico and the U.S. behind the Denis DeConcini checkpoint, where they began to sign the Mexican National Anthem.

A member of the police raised his voice and asked the protesters “Do you have the conviction to leave the site by your own means?” to what a protester answered: “I love my country so much, I love this country until death, I am honoring the anthem that we sing”.

The police tried to dissuade protesters from staying in the encampment as the latter began to pray the Lord’s Prayer, also know in Mexico as “Our Father”.

The dialogue between police and protesters failed and so began the round up of the encampment with the removal of signs which read: “They have taken so much away from us, even fear”, “Join this 100% peaceful, non-violent protest against gasoline hikes”, among others.

The atmosphere was tense and some protesters cried due to the impotence felt at the moment they were removed from the encampment, while they keep chanting “Mexico, Mexico, Mexico!”, the civil resistance was crashed by the anti-riot police, while some protesters, as well as journalists, were beaten.

According to information from the Nogales municipality two protesters were arrested.