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On Sunday, a mega-march organized by the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO), with an estimated hundreds of thousands to a half million to one million participants, filled the streets of Oaxaca City, reportedly at one point extending as long as 12 kilometers (7 miles). The march was said to be the people's response to the Mexican Federal Preventative Forces' (PFP) failed invasion of the University Autotonima Benito Juarez, which houses APPO's Radio Universidad, and the continuing attacks, arrests and repression. Early on Sunday, a university student guarding the radio station was shot in the chest and remains in critical condition.
Also on Sunday, a Oaxaca solidarity march leaving from the San Diego Oaxaca Solidarity Camp at the Mexican Consulate in Little Italy (at peak ~ 70 participants) took the streets and progressed through downtown and the gaslamp with banners and chants expressing solidarity with the Oaxacan People and their demands: the corrupt governor Ulises Ruiz must go; the federal PFP troops must leave Oaxaca and the political prisoners and disappeared must be returned in good health.
The march was preceded by an open mic rally where speakers discussed the situation in Oaxaca, Oaxaqueños in California, and demands upon the Mexican government and the San Diego Mexican Consul. As the Mexican Consulate was approached at the conclusion of the march, unassociated passersby dragged hay bales, which had been placed on the corner to give Little Italy a fake harvest ambience, into the street, according to an eyewitness who did not wish to be identified. The hay bale blockade at the corner of India and Cedar was the site of a post-march open mic rally further discussing the situation in Oaxaca and the demand for the end to police violence in both Oaxaca and San Diego.
Throughout the march and rally, the sdpd continued harassing and intimidating protesters in an attempt to curtail their rights to speak and be heard, and their rights to occupy public space. Early in the march, one copcar loudspeaker declared that the marchers were participating in a riot and would be arrested if they did not move to the sidewalk. As the march continued in the street, cops threatened the peaceful protesters with violence by dangerously accelerating their cars toward them in the back of and on either side of the march. Late in the march, a cop car struck a protester's wheelchair, fortunately not resulting in injuries.
At the hay bale blockade rally, the sdpd's frustration with nonhierarchical, self-organized resistance movements was evident, as they searched unsuccessfully for a leader to threaten and arrest. Cop photographers and videographers attempted to intimidate the protesters. One sdpd photographer moved into the crowd, apparently thinking that an armed thug amongst peaceful demonstrators would not be noticed. Protesters held signs up to block his view every time he attempted to take a photograph, eventually chasing him back to the sidelines.
Many protesters commented that they were energized by their ability to get out the message about Oaxaca despite the attempts at repression. Music and poetry after the rally produced a festive and hopeful atmosphere.
The San Diego Oaxaca Solidarity Camp continues at the Mexican Consulate, 1549 India Street in Little Italy. The protesters request your continuing help and support.
SD Photos: 1 2
SD Video: 1
Links to Prior SD Oaxaca Solidarity Camp Coverage here
Reports/Reports w/ Photos on the Oaxaca MegaMarch: 1 2 3 4
Report on Electronic Blockade of Mexican Consulates and Embassies here
Radio Universidad (Espanol) | Ongoing English Translation of Radio Universidad here
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