[Nettime-bold] REVOLT IN SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, CHIAPAS, MSXICO ON EVENING OF 7TH MARCH 2002

["ricardo dominguez" <rdom@thing.net>]

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>REVOLT IN SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, CHIAPAS, MSXICO ON EVENING OF 7TH
>MARCH 2002
>
>Large crowds repel police, set police vehicles on fire, and loot
supermarket
>and big shops.
>A carnival atmosphere prevails as crowds control the streets for over 3
>hours.
>Later police enter area, fire tear gas and make a reported 50 arrests
>The conflict occurred in the area around the public market, a poor area
>where many indigenous people live and work, and followed a police operation
>against sellers of pirated merchandise.
>On the morning of 8 March police with riot gear cordon off an area around
>the public market.
>
>This is an incomplete report written a few hours after the events from eye
>witness reports, and info in the local press and radio.  More info
hopefully
>to follow.  Feel free to circulate but please remove e mail address.
>
>A major revolt with thousands on the streets engulfed the area around the
>public market in San Cristobal de Las Casas on the evening of 7 March.
>Large crowds broke into at least 3 big stores, including a supermarket and
>department store.  In a festive atmosphere men, women and children joyfully
>carted off large amounts of food, drink, clothes and furniture over a
period
>of over 2 hours.  Onlookers, including women with babies, elderly people
and
>children watched with interest, and some shouted advice to the looters
about
>the best route to take to avoid the police.
>
>Two police vehicles were set on fire and burnt in the middle of the street.
>The crowd repulsed an attempt by the police to enter the area, hurling
>missiles.  A shop was set alight and the fire was still burning at
midnight.
>   From before 7pm till after 10pm thousands were on the streets, and the
>police seemed to have little or no presence an no control over the
>situation.
>
>The conflict reportedly started at 6pm after a police operation to arrest
>sellers of pirated CDs etc.. Local newspaper La Foja reports that a police
>attempt to enter the area around this time was repulsed by the crowd
>throwing missiles.
>
>By 7pm a police vehicle was ablaze in the street by the public market,
>hundreds, if not  thousands were in the streets and police were not to be
>seen.  Around 8pm missiles were seen being hurled, and slightly later a
line
>of riot police were formed across the road behind Santo Domingo church.
>
>Around 8pm the crowd began to break into large shops by the market,
breaking
>plate glass windows and tearing off iron grilles on the entrances.  Tela de
>Mexico, Alamanecenes Grandes, and then the  supermarket which is opposite
>the last named, on a side street by the market, were all sacked.  Around
the
>same time another fire was burning in the street by the market, reportedly
a
>second police car ablaze.
>
>Large crowds of men, women and children carried off bags and boxes of food
>and groceries, sacks of rice or beans, bottles of wine and spirits,
>mattresses, sofas and much more.  Eye witnesses reported a joyful and
>excited atmosphere.  There were few vehicles in the area, but taxis and
cars
>that strayed into the area were allowed to pass unhindered.
>
>Around 10.15pm a large fire was seen burning near the market, reportedly a
>shop.  Around 10.- 10.30pm police, some armed and some with riot shields
and
>helmets, entered the area, charged the crowd and made arrests.  According
to
>local radio 50 men, women and children were arrested.  La Foca paper
reports
>the use of ?an excessive use of force? by the police when making arrests.
>Police fired tear gas on more than one occasion, and tear gas swept down
>nearby streets, causing discomfort to inhabitants of houses.  Fire fighters
>entered the  area to combat the fires.
>
>By 11.30 pm police appeared to have regained control of the situation,
>though there were still crowds in the street, the shop continued to burn
and
>there were remnants of a fire in the street.  Local radio reports 6 police
>received hospital treatment.  It is not known how many civilians were
>injured by the police violence.
>
>Reports in the media that some of the crowd applauded the entry of the
>police into the area were not confirmed by eye witnesses who reported
>instead mass participation in looting, and many onlookers observing without
>any worries.  The reactions observed to the arrival of the police were
>either resistance or flight.
>
>At 9am the next morning, 8 March, an area around the public market was
>cordoned off by police with riot gear who were preventing entry by the
>public.
>
>More news may follow, and there may be reports on Indymedia Chiapas (this
>report is not however from Indymedia Chiapas or any organization)
>
>Note  San Cristobal de Las Casas in Chiapas, southern Mexico  has a
>population of over 130,000, many of whom live in poverty, many lack basic
>services such as electricity, piped water and drainage in their houses.   A
>large proportion of the population are indigenous people, the majority
>Tzotziles, and suffer racist discrimination.
>
>
>
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