Feminist Activists in Mexico March to Protest Gender Violenc
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2020 1:16 am
Demonstrators set fire to a Mexican flag with a sign that reads, in Spanish, "Mexico Feminicide," during a protest, Aug. 16, 2020, in Mexico City against violence against the women in the country.
Feminist activists took to the streets of Mexico City Sunday to protest gender violence and inequality.
Miguel Barrera, founder of the human rights group Marabunta Brigade that organized the march said the demonstration was to highlight the killing of women in general and recent cases of violence against women.
"This mobilization concentrates several specific complaints, which are the point of it. Meaning that it does have to do with femicide, but these are cases (of violence against women) that have been around for one or two weeks making a lot of noise (meaning getting a lot of attention) in Mexico City," Barrera said.
A demonstrator holds a flare during a protest against the violence against the women in Mexico City, Aug. 16, 2020.
Protesters were holding banners reading: "Do not touch me". "Why is violence not in quarantine?" "Femicide Mexico" and chanting slogans against sexual assaults against women.
A strong female police force that almost quadrupled that of protesters were present as the demonstrators marched through the streets of the city.
Although the march was generally peaceful, a clash between some demonstrators and police erupted and at least one demonstrator was injured.
According to official data, 3,825 women died because of violence in 2019, averaging more than 10 per day, an increase of 7% compared to 2018.
A significant majority of all crimes in Mexico are not unpunished.