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On June 5, protestors in Mexico City marched towards the United States embassy to demands justice for George Floyd , the African-American man who died at the hands of a Minnesota cop.
Around 30 protesters arrived at Reforma Avenue, where they painted several buildings and broke windows. At the same time, another group of protestors gathered outside Jalisco’s office in the city to demand justice for Giovanni López , who was killed by police officers on May 4.
Protesters hurled Molotov cocktails at the U.S. embassy, while the protesters outside the state of Jalisco ’s office, located in the affluent Polanco neighborhood, clashed with the local police. Meanwhile, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum called for peaceful protests and said there would be no repression , adding that her administration is against police brutality .
It later emerged that during the June 5 protest, two police officers had brutally beaten a 16-year-old protester and after major backlash , local authorities issued arrest warrants against the two officers. The two police officers were quickly arrested and sent to prison.
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Mexico City’s Human Rights Commission later confirmed the 16-year-old was discharged from hospital on June 6, after being viciously attacked by local police officers . When paramedics arrived at the scene, the teenager could barely speak.
Miguel Barrera
, the director of p eace brigade Marabunta , accompanied the victim to the hospital. He witnessed the assault and confirmed the officers kicked her face, head, and neck. He also said there were several attackers, not just two officers; another peace activist tried to protect the young woman and he was also assaulted.
After the images of several police officers kicking a 16-year-old in the face went viral, Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said that the local government will collaborate with the Human Rights Commission to develop new protocols for the local police.
Besides the 16-year-old victim and the peace activist, local police officers also attacked at least five journalists , who have now filed lawsuits.
Sheinbaum added that six police officers were wounded during the June 5 protest, including a female officer who was stabbed in the neck
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Meanwhile, a judge decided the two police officers will remain in prison .
On June 8, around 100 protesters took the streets, once again, to protests against police brutality . However, many of the self-proclaimed anarchists attacked journalists and looted several stores.
Mexico City’s government said the local police received an order to avoid physical confrontations.
The outrage over police brutality has increased in recent days, after it was revealed that Yair López was killed by municipal police in Tijuana on March 27, after the officer stepped on Yair’s neck for several minutes.
The 28-year-old victim was murdered a week before becoming a father for the second time. Yair’s partner told EL UNIVERSAL that since the young man was killed, authorities haven’t reached out to her.
Similarly to Giovanni López ’s case, people have launched online petitions to demand justice for Yair López.
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