On the afternoon of Sunday the 8th of March in Mexico City, a demonstration against gender-based and patriarchal violence brought together tens of thousands of women. Among the huge crowd that took to the streets, several hundred women demonstrators came with completely different intentions than to remain in their assigned role as victims or to march sensibly through the media spotlight. Dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, they had to repeatedly face the citizen indignation of the political organizations and other defenders of the social peace every time they destroyed part of what oppresses them.

According to media reports, there were altercations between rebels and peacemakers at various times, such as when non-violent women formed a human chain in front of the rows of cops, facing off with the enraged women.

At another location, Catholics and anti-abortion activists who were forming a human chain around the Metropolitan Cathedral were attacked with tear gas. Among the historical monuments tagged and vandalized during this demonstration were the Hemiciclo a Juárez, the Monte de Piedad, and the Fine Arts building on Avenida Juárez.

After dismantling the protective barriers around the Corpus Christi Church, a few meters from the Palacio Nacional (seat of the federal executive and official residence of the President of Mexico), a group of encapuchadas (masked/hooded women) broke the stained glass windows, sprayed accelerant on the main door and set it on fire.

A squad of police (comprised entirely of women) intervened and surrounded some of the attackers, some of whom managed to escape. Another group of encapuchadas arrived immediately afterwards and managed to free their surrounded comrades.

Meanwhile, other women went on a rampage, tagging several barricades that were protecting many of the city’s institutions. Other women set fire to the Bank of Mexico building, which was also barricaded. Nearby, encapuchadas smashed the windows of a hotel and the ‘El Popular’ bar, after tearing down the protective barriers. Several banks and the main tourism office (which was set on fire) were ransacked, a convenience store was expropriated and trashed, fire trucks and city hall vehicles were vandalized. The head office of the Municipal Council was tagged and its windows were smashed. While rows of policewomen were protecting the Palacio Nacional, four Molotov cocktails were thrown at the building. One of the Molotovs landed on one of the policewomen, briefly igniting her clothes. Unfortunately, a woman was identified and arrested for participating in the attack, she was charged with throwing an incendiary device.

According to Mexico City’s secretary for Urban Security, a total of 18 policewomen were injured during Sunday’s riot. In the evening, 6 people were arrested during clashes outside the Metropolitan Cathedral in the Plaza de la Constitución.

The revolt against patriarchal violence also took place in several other cities in Mexico. Here is a brief overview:

In Nezahualcoyotl (Edomex), a black bloc was present at the main demonstration. Several buildings were tagged and vandalized and many ATMs were destroyed.

In Morelia (Michoacán), the ‘Cristo Rey’ Church was vandalized and there were some clashes with Catholics.

In Pachuca (Hidalgo), dozens of encapuchadas attacked the main government office: slogans were tagged on the facade and windows were smashed.

(via Sans Attendre Demain, translated into English by Anarchists Worldwide)