Mexico: Members of Okupa Che Beaten, Hospitalized, and Arrested

Imagenes de heridas que recibieron compxs del Auditorio Che por parte de vigilancia UNAM. pic.twitter.com/idt9Lxhx9H

— Proyecto Ambulante (@proamboax) August 1, 2016

AUGUST 2 UPDATE: The Anarchist Black Cross – Mexico reports their lawyer says that the compas will be released shortly as they were not charged within the 48 hour time frame required. However, this does not mean that the legal process is over, as they have 15 days to pay the damages UNAM claims to have suffered (approximately 40,000 pesos). If it is not paid, the compas could be charged. As such, it is important to continue raising funds to pay this amount. For more information, write to [email protected].

From Okupa Che
Translated by Scott Campbell

To our fellow compañerxs, to those in the struggle, to the independent media and the community in general:

On Sunday, July 31, at midday, four compañeros who are members of Okupa Che were near the university pool when they were surrounded by National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Security, who in an excessive operation began to attack them.

For no apparent reason other than to terrify them, nearly all the members of this repressive force began to beat them, throwing some compañerxs on the ground and jumping on their bodies and skulls, along with sexually assaulting compañera Andrea. At the first call for help, two other compañerxs went to see what was happening and immediately began receiving the same treatment from UNAM Security. The end result was that our compañerxs received several blows to their bodies and faces and at least two of them have broken bones and serious injuries.

With that not being enough, after the attack and taking advantage of the presence of police there for the Pumas soccer match, our compañerxs were handed over to them at Insurgentes Avenue by the Architecture Department, and two more compañerxs were arrested who tried to record the incident. Those two were released a few hours later.

The six beaten compañerxs were brought to the COY-1 and COY-2 City Prosecutors Office in Coyoacán and after it declared itself incapable of handling the case, they were brought to the Federal Prosecutors Office (PGR) in Camarones, still without saying what they were being charged with.

Given the severity of the beatings perpetrated by UNAM Security, five of the attacked were sent to the hospital for assessment. As neither Xoco Hospital nor Balbuena Hospital – where our compañerxs were sent – are trained to deal with emergencies on Sunday, the two most seriously wounded, Luis and Axel, were taken to Rubén Leñero Hospital, where at the moment they remain given their poor condition. The others, Andy, Pierre, Billy and Alejandro, were brought before the PGR before dawn this morning.

All of this brutality by UNAM authorities is part of the countless attacks against those who are organized and against Okupa Che in particular; attacks that have not ceased for the entirety of the existence of the squat and that have intensified in recent years, such as the recent arrest of compañero Yorch and the legal proceedings still happening against him. This leaves no doubt as to the relationship and complicity that exists between UNAM authorities and the federal government in taking action against social dissidents; a relationship that is clear given the strong presence of UNAM personnel (security, legal and community service, among others) in the legal proceedings happening against our compañerxs, showing the foolish intentions of the administration to repress the compas from the Okupa, adding this act to the infinite number of physical attacks, smear campaigns, arrests, imprisonments, and murders that have taken place over the years.

For us, no one more responsible for these events than the UNAM-government duo. As such, we hold the members of UNAM Security who worked on Sunday directly responsible for the beating they “gave” to our compañerxs and for the consequences this may bring, as well as responsible for the sexual assault suffered by Andy at the hands of those who claim to protect the entire university community. We hold directly responsible the head of UNAM Security during the weekends for having led and participated in the beating, whose name we don’t know, but who is known as “The Brush” due to his stature and complexion and that he literally brushes aside the stands or people selling items on the weekends; and, we identify those who drove UNAM Patrol Car 18 as part of the main aggressors against our compañerxs.

Given all this, we call for solidarity and for people stay alert to what may happen, as at this moment they have not issued any charges against our compañerxs.

No aggression without a response!
Solidarity with our imprisoned compañerxs!

Okupa Che, August 1, 2016

Legal and Health Updates on the Arrested Compañerxs from Okupa Che

From Okupa Che

On July 31, around midday, our compañerxs who were in the vicinity of University City were violently detained by UNAM Security. After being brutally beaten by around 30 university personnel they were handed over to riot police on Insurgentes Avenue who were guarding a soccer game that was coming to an end at University Stadium. They again attacked our compañerxs as well as a couple of young people who, upon seeing the abuse by university authorities, tried to record the events, for which they were similarly beaten and arrested.

All of them were brought to the Civic Court Number 22 in Coyoacán where the two young people arrested for recording were released after being offered apologies for the beatings and the unjustified and arbitrary arrests. Meanwhile, our five compañerxs, after being detained for about five hours without receiving any medical attention and without any communication, were taken to Xoco Hospital where they were denied medical attention due to a supposed lack of staff. They were then taken to a hospital in Balbuena where after a medical assessment it was decided that due to the severity of the injuries two of them had, they had to be taken to the emergency room at Rubén Leñero Hospital. It appeared that one of the compañeros had received multiple blows to the head and the other had a possibly broken jaw and ribs. So far they have been unable to communicate despite the seriousness of their situation. Those at the hospital have refused to give us information about their health, however on the other hand they have given unrestricted access to UNAM representatives in informing them of their condition.

At the moment, our compañerxs’ case has been handed to the PGR in Camarones in Azcapotzalco, where at around 9:30pm yesterday only one compañera, who appeared uninjured, was brought before prosecutors. In the early morning, three more of our compañeros were brought up, on whom we could clearly see multiple wounds and injuries, including ones the prevented some from walking. Access to them has remained restricted at the moment. We have been prevented from seeing them and we have been denied any information about their legal situation, so as of now, we don’t know what charges they are accused of. Yet the authorities have maintained constant and unrestricted communication with university staff who since yesterday have been prowling around the PGR, showing off the beatings received by our compas and making clear the complicity existing between the federal authorities and UNAM in this latest attempt at repression against the compañerxs of Okupa Che.

There is nothing more to say about the constant and resounding repression that for years has been brought against the space, its occupants and supporters.

Given all this we only have to say, once more, that we call on all collectives and compañerxs to show extensive solidarity towards the imprisoned compañerxs of Okupa Che, to be alert and to share information about their legal situation and possible attacks against other compañerxs or the squat.

Solidarity is our weapon against the walls of disgusting power!
Fire to the prisons!
They can’t stop us!

Individuals and collectives who work in Okupa Che – Autonomous Space of Self-Managed Work