27 policewomen injured in clashes with abortion rights activists in Mexico City (VIDEOS, PHOTOS)
Protesters tore down fences outside the National Palace and vandalized buildings in Mexico City on International Safe Abortion Day. More than 20 female police officers were hurt in the clashes, a senior security official said.
Women marched across Mexico’s capital and other cities on Tuesday, banging drums and wearing green scarves, which have become the symbols of reproductive rights in Latin America.
“Abortion – yes, abortion – no, that’s for me to decide,” the activists chanted, and “We must abort the system of the patriarchy,” and “Take your rosaries out of our ovaries.”
The termination of pregnancies is severely restricted in most parts of Mexico. In September, the country’s top court set a possible precedent by ordering the northern state of Coahuila to decriminalize abortion.
Members of the radical left-wing Black Bloc also participated in the protests. Wearing black and pink ski masks, they smashed the windows of an Autonomous University of Mexico State campus with hammers and vandalized its walls with spray cans.
#Video | Algunas integrantes accionaron en un edificio gubernamental así como en el edificio administrativo de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México. #yn 📹: @ferdospuntoshttps://t.co/PBSVLp4McFpic.twitter.com/lMmhWKVK6h
— La Silla Rota (@lasillarota) September 28, 2021
#Video | Integrantes de colectivos feministas que se manifiestan en Toluca hacen pintas en el edificio central de Rectoría de la UAEM. #ynhttps://t.co/PBSVLp4McFpic.twitter.com/zcftKSIPXO
— La Silla Rota (@lasillarota) September 28, 2021
On their way downtown, protesters clashed with police. Some were filmed shooting spray-paint at officers’ face shields.
#Metrópoli | Continúa la marcha entre constantes escaramuzas entre feministas y las policías que caminan a los lados de las manifestantes. #AbortoLegalYa#ephttps://t.co/AD97hABdFE 🎥: @Infingritumpic.twitter.com/NvItqlbyu1
— La Silla Rota (@lasillarota) September 28, 2021
#Metrópoli | Policías con pintura se acercan cuando feministas intentan agredir a alguien que grababa detrás de la fila de policías. #28S#AbortoLegalYa#ephttps://t.co/AD97hABdFE 🎥: @Infingritumpic.twitter.com/QRuo0OvCJf
— La Silla Rota (@lasillarota) September 28, 2021
#LaCaderaDeEva | Se dan enfrentamientos entre manifestantes y policías sobre Avenida Reforma. #ephttps://t.co/bzhYh46bu7#28Septiembrepic.twitter.com/dxmXlTA84u
— La Silla Rota (@lasillarota) September 28, 2021
A group of protesters also tried using spray cans to set fires to the fence surrounding the capital’s main Catholic church.
#Metrópoli | "Pedófilos" se lee entre llamas mientras feministas incendian vallas que rodean la Catedral Metropolitana. #ep#AbortoLegalYa#28Septiembre#ephttps://t.co/AD97hABdFE 🎥: @Infingritumpic.twitter.com/ZwvSxQoVSc
— La Silla Rota (@lasillarota) September 28, 2021
Others attempted to scale the fence that protects a tall monument to Mexico’s independence.
#Metrópoli | Feministas escalan la valla y la jalan para tirarla; el Ángel de la Independencia rodeado de policías. #28S#AbortoLegalYa#ephttps://t.co/AD97hABdFE 🎥: @Infingritumpic.twitter.com/hI2YJrFtTX
— La Silla Rota (@lasillarota) September 28, 2021
Once the crowd gathered outside the National Palace, the official residence of the country’s president, people tore down some of the fencing.
#Metrópoli | Feministas logran quitar las vallas que rodean Palacio Nacional al finalizar la marcha del 28S. #ep#AbortoLegalYa#28Septiembre#ephttps://t.co/AD97hABdFE 🎥: @Infingritumpic.twitter.com/OAKGs8POLQ
— La Silla Rota (@lasillarota) September 28, 2021
Firecrackers were used, creating thick plumes of smoke. Local media quoted protesters claiming that firecrackers were set off by the police.
Marcela Figueroa, Mexico City’s top security official, denied this, saying the officers carried only personal protective gear, helmets and shields, and some carried fire extinguishers.
#Metrópoli | "No somos nosotras, los petardos están saliendo del lado de los policías", grita una manifestante en medio de intensa humareda. #ep#AbortoLegalYa#28Septiembre#ephttps://t.co/EQWPZgC3hF 🎥: @Infingritumpic.twitter.com/vjIM7VPguO
— La Silla Rota (@lasillarota) September 28, 2021
Some policewomen wore green and pink masks to show solidarity with reproductive rights and feminist causes.
Figueroa said that 37 people were injured during the protests, including 27 female officers, a government official and nine civilians.
Estos son los rostros de las mujeres policías de la @SSC_CDMX que participaron en las manifestaciones de la #CDMX por #AbortoLegal. Mi admiración a su trabajo. ¡Mujeres cuidando mujeres! pic.twitter.com/M946tVxtJ9
— Tania Aguilar Díaz (@taniaaguilardia) September 29, 2021
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