Some 3,000 people gathered at the Mexico-United States border on Saturday in the latest installment of the Hugs, Not Walls event.
Organized for the sixth time by the Border Network for Human Rights, the event was held with the cooperation of the U.S. Border Patrol and the Mexican Federal Police.
The gathering of Mexicans and migrant relatives took place at the Rancho Anpara neighborhood in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, and the town of Sunland Park, New Mexico.
The event gives the families separated by the border the opportunity to physically meet and greet for a few minutes.
Fernando García of the Border Network told the newspaper Milenio that it took some effort and some pressure on the Border Patrol in order to get the authorization.
“The doors opened to allow more than 200 families to hug each other and be together for a little while, because this is an important moment in the migrants’ resistance against the racist policies that this wall represents,” said García at the foot of the border fence.
“As long as they continue to build walls, we will continue to open these doors,” he continued, remarking that on Saturday children, families, siblings and parents “defeated this wall with a hug.”
“Something must be done to change this policy, this dynamic. I hope that the new government of Andrès Manuel Lòpez Obrador understands that and can exert enough pressure to change the way migrants are treated, that their human rights are respected and that no child is detained or any family separated,” García said.
Source: Milenio (sp)
