Diputados, Pepper Spray, and more

Posted by dobie on October 25, 2010, 8:17 am, in reply to "wow!!"
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The day started out joyously - finally the diputados were coming to open the gate and allow access to the beach, or so we thought. Accompanied by reporters and diputados, the people of Rebalsito (women in front) walked to the gate that denied access to the beach. Police with uniforms that said "Police Estatal" were on the other side of the gate. Diputado Salvador Caro asked that the gate be opened so the citizens could have access to the state road and federal zone of the beach, rights given by the Constitution. The head of the police was very arrogant, would only give his name as Pancho, and said it was a private beach. "Pancho" said 20 people could go in, and when they returned, 20 more could go. People started shouting "todos, todos". Diputado David Hernandez hooked a chain to the back of his pickup truck and pulled the gate down, to the cheers of the people. Then all hell broke loose. Reporters, diputados and many people got sprayed with pepper spray. The orange liquid was dripping from the face of a woman reporter from TV Azteca who was in severe pain. People from town tore down the fences on either side of the road. Police with shields started hitting people with their sticks. Several women,some who were blinded by the spray managed to enter,accompanied by David Hernandez, and made it to the beach, where many cried over seeing their places destroyed. The police then said they were given the order to shoot if anyone came near them, so the diputados asked everyone to retreat, which we did. An ambulance came to treat the injured and sprayed, and later in the day they went to Cihuatlan to be seen and documented by a doctor so the papers could be sent to Mexico today. I only took a few photos, as after getting some pepper spray on my arm, I was reluctant to get too close. Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/casitaamistad/TenacatitaOctober24?authkey=Gv1sRgCIu_4LOKoevMfg# More news, photos and videos will be posted today. There's no way to convey the optimistic energy of the morning, contrasted with the angry, hurt,demorazlied energy of the afternoon. Sorry this is so long, but I thought people would be interested in an account by someone who was there. dobie

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