Mexico: Police Carry Out Pre-Dawn Raid on ChantiOllin Social Center; 26 arrested

From Somos el medio
Translated by It’s Going Down

UPDATE: 21 of the arrested have been released, five have been turned over to immigration.

“We were in the Monday assembly and at around 2:30 in the morning we heard themputting ladders against the walls. Some were able to run out others weren’t. There were hundreds of riot police, there were no attack squads but lots of police.”

That is the story of one of the young people who was arrested at dawn on Tuesday, November 22, along with 25 others who were gathered at that time in one of the main social centers of Mexico City. Noticias de Abajo conducted the interview that is quoted in this article.

ChantiOllin was born during the strike at UNAM at the beginning of the millennium. Thanks to its efforts and staying power during the past 12 years it has become an important place for autonomous and self-managed movements.

The 26 people arrested during the eviction were held in the offices of the 50th Public Prosecutor’s office, known as the Bunker, in Colonia Obrera. As one of the young detainees mentioned above, until the early hours of the morning they had not been told what they were accused of. They had only been asked their names and for their IDs and had their pictures taken. Along with the 26 adults, there was a 3 year old girl as well.

The young woman quoted above said that among them are people from other countries and they are on the alert for possible deportations. Since 8am on Tuesday, word spread calling for a solidarity protest at Estela de la Luz at the Chapultepec metro station. It was feared that the Mexico City authorities and police were planning to demolish the building, which remains fenced-off. There has been construction equipment reportedly seen in the vicinity of the evicted social center.

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