Today over 300 people in Chicago came out in support of the missing 43 students in Ayotzinapa. A caravan that has been traveling across the United States to tell the truth about what has happened to the missing students came to Chicago on April 3, through April 5. On the Caravan is María de Jesús Tlatempa Bello a mother of one of the missing students, Cruz Bautista Salbador the uncle of Benjamin Bautista Salvador, a missing student, and Omar Garcia, a student that survived the attack by the state.
The march started with a short program from the members of the caravan sharing a brief part of their stories. The march went throughout the Pilsen neighborhood, bringing members and organizations of the community into the streets as well. The march was diverse and brought people of all ages out to demand justice and show solidarity for the families of the missing 43.
Protestors chanted “Porquè? Porquè? Porquè los asesinan? Si son la esperanza de America Latina!” as we marched through the streets. The protest had a short stop in Juarez High School’s field, in which community members spoke out against the violence that the student movement in Mexico has faced.
There was a strong connection with the police violence here in Chicago and across the U.S. Gloria Pinex, whose son Darius Pinex was murdered by CPD in 2011, spoke about how her and her family are still fighting for justice and to show solidarity with the families of the missing students. In response, the families of the 43 students and the crowd raised their hands and chanted, “Hands up, don’t shoot!”
After the brief speak out the march continued to a church where the members of the caravan and allies were scheduled to speak in depth about the struggle that is continuing in Mexico. Justicia para los 43 Jòvenes de Aytzinapa!
