FYI -sabrina they need messages of solidarity VISIBLE on the facebook: Wilner Metelus... PLEASE SHARE THIS PRESS RELEASE WIDELY!!! Press release Naturalized and Afro-Mexican Citizen Defense Committee (CCDNAM) Mexico City, July 15, 2013 Aggression against hunger strikers protesting death of Malcolm Latif Shabazz Hunger striking members of the CCDNAM were repressed by local riot police last Thursday, July 11, just outside the Mexico City government office building. Since July 4, the strikers had been protesting the government’s failure to respond to the cold-blooded assassination of Malcolm Latif Shabazz, grandson of Malcolm X, at Garibaldi Plaza in Mexico City two months ago. Also present was the mother of former UNAM student Carlos Sinhué, who was protesting his murder along with dozens of students who accompanied her. Furthermore, they were exercising their constitutional rights to peaceful protest as they demanded freedom for student activist Mario González and justice for Malcolm Latif Shabazz. When the students marched around the Zócalo, between 400 and 500 city riot police rushed the city office building. As the police moved to encircle the students, the strikers were also violently encircled and moved out of the space they had occupied during the hunger strike. The police stomped on the photos of Malcolm Latif Shabazz, which were part of a floral offering. They pushed and shoved Committee President Dr. Wilner Metelus and evicted the group, putting an end to the hunger strike. They also pushed and shoved a young married couple and their four-year-old son who were there in support of the strike. Both the Mexico City government and certain news media have identified the protesters as students at the College of Sciences and Humanities (CCH) of the UNAM, as if there were something wrong with studying there, as part of an overall attempt to discredit their social activism. It is worth noting that two hours before the incident, security staff of the facilities of the Government of the Federal District suddenly denied the hunger strikers access to restrooms and electrical connections, which seems to indicate that the repression was planned. In the hours before the police repression, no authority of the Mexico City government tried to establish contact with the Committee. Through their actions, they showed themselves to be moral weaklings and disproved Miguel Angel Mancera’s denial of racism. The death of Malcolm Shabazz Latif was a tragedy not only for his family but also for all human beings on the planet because his grandfather, one of the great defenders of human rights of the last century, gave his life for humanity. We are holding city Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera responsible for all this violence and demand punishment for the repression. Our movement is peaceful. We reaffirm our demands: 1) Presentation of the public security video of the street where Malcolm Latif Shabazz’s murder took place. (2) Arrest of other suspects that District Attorney Rodolfo Ríos admits remain free. We ask all our Mexican and international brothers and sisters to support us in this struggle. An injury to one is an injury to all! Our union makes us strong! Wilner Metelus President of the CCDNAM
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 10:53:10 +0000