Chiapas: Municipal Police Disperses Protesters with Tear Gas

@ Proceso

On July 29^th, there was an incident at San Cristobal de Las Casas city hall in which members of the municipal police fired tear gas against people from the Independent Union of Municipal Workers of the San Cristobal City Council (SITRAM) who were demonstrating at the facilities. Given the lack of a response to their demands, which included a salary increase and improved benefits from the current administration, the protesters broke into the extraordinary public session of the council that was taking place that morning.

According to videos circulating on different media, the situation got out of control when the protesters tried to prevent Mariano Diaz Ochoa, mayor of San Cristobal, from leaving the room. It was at that moment that the pulling, shouting and beatings began, and that the municipal police arrived at the scene to fire tear gas and remove the municipal president, locking up many people who, out of desperation, broke glass to get out while others jumped from the second floor to the garden of the building.

However, not only the demonstrators were affected but also other city hall workers who had to be evicted and suspended their activities. In addition, several people were intoxicated by the gas, so civil protection personnel came to help them.

For more information in Spanish:

Entre reclamos y gas lacrimógeno, acorralan a edil Mariano Díaz en San Cristóbal (El Heraldo de Chiapas, 29 de julio de 2022)

Sindicalistas golpean y retienen al edil de San Cristóbal de las Casas (La Jornada, 30 de julio de 2022)

Policía lanza gas lacrimógeno a empleados por reclamar bono (Excelsior, 29 de julio de 2022)

For more information from SIPAZ: