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Much Ado About Breakfast! Nov. 9 morning update

NO BORDERS CAMP - 9 November 2007

MIGRA OVER-REACT TO A VERY CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

The third day of the No Borders Camp began with action, riot police and tension. After a drawn out stand-off with the migra, we were allowed to share breakfast on both sides of the camp.

During the morning Border Patrol shift change some folks decided to move the camp up to the vehicle barrier separating the two sides (which so far has been full of migra limiting our communication with one another), with the aim of serving breakfast across the border and eating together. One group locked down a table to serve food on, blocking the road through which migra vehicles have been going back and forth, while about 50 people on the U.S. side filled in the space all the way up to the barrier.

In response to this action the migra brought in three lines of riot police (with shields, batons and pepper-ball guns) who moved toward the campers but maintained some distance, while about twenty riot police crossed the fence to the Mexico side and made a formation from the All-American Canal to the highway that delineates Mexican from U.S. territory.. A Border Patrol helicopter began circling the camp and an additional 20 migra lined the vehicle barrier, preventing communication back and forth.

Due to the police reaction against the Mexico-side of the camp, people on that side became nervous and began to make plans about how to defend the space or retreat without allowing people to get hurt or arrested. Rumors flew that the PFP (Mexico Federal Police) were in riot gear several blocks away.. A number of campers crossed over from the U.S. side to join the Mexico side, and about a dozen people climbed the border wall in the vicinity, filming what was going on and shouting/banging on the wall to show support and encouragement to the folks on the other side.

After a tense stand-off that lasted about an hour and a half the migra finally allowed us to have breakfast. The riot cops went away and plates and food were passed back and forth over the line under the watchfull eye of several dozen remaining agents. Some school kids came up to the Mexico camp and joined in the meal. And breakfast was good!

After this standoff cultural events and forums were planned throughout the day.

At 1pm about 150 people left the camp for a demonstration at the ICE detention center in El Centro, CA. Another demonstration left on the Mexico side to the maquiladora (sweat-shop) zone in Mexicali, and then the NAFTA port of entry where trucks carrying goods assembled in the maquiladoras enter the United States. There were no arrests at the ICE demonstration, no word yet on the action at the maquiladoras or port of entry.

There are, as of this morning, about 250 people on the U.S. side of the camp and 100 on the Mexico side. Folks on the Mexico side have moved their camp closer to the vehicle barrier, so far without problems

At 8pm tonight there is a "Freedom of Movement" TRANSnational Dance Party planned at the camp. Tune into No Borders Radio for more.

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/11/07/18458785.php


Comments

Mon, 11/12/2007 - 10:06am — Anonymous

reply

I am the author of the above story. The pictures of this incident should speak for themselves. There was absolutely no exageration in this story, as the police riot yesterday should make clear. The purpose of blocking the vehicle access road was to allow people to gather on both sides of the barrier. After about an hour and a half we accomplished this and it was a huge victory that facilitated our ability to communicate with one another for the rest of the week. After about the first twenty minutes of the standoff I crossed over to the Mexico side, so what I reported about events on the U.S. side after that is based on what I was told by others who were there. To be fair, locking down the table was a bit silly. Apparently whoever closed the lock didn't have the key to unlock it and this became quite a hassle later on.

The No Borders Camp was an amazing success despite the migra violence yesterday. Sure there were things that could have gone better, there were some mistakes made on the part of campers and organizers, but that happens and provides lessons for the next time. Never believe comments posted by trolls.