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Caribbean-Latin America

Protesters chain themselves to border wall in Tijuana in opposition of new construction

2023-10-27

[SDUT] The act was in protest of the ongoing project to replace the primary fence in the area near Friendship Park with sections up to 30 feet high

Four protesters chained themselves to different sections of the border fence Wednesday on the Mexican side of Friendship Park.

The action was in opposition to the ongoing construction to replace the primary fence in the area with new 30-foot tall walls.

Construction work for the primary fence began in August near the beach and has now advanced to Friendship Park, the area where families who couldn’t cross the border used to gather to speak with loved ones through the fence. The area also houses the U.S. side of the binational garden.

The demonstration began Wednesday morning when local advocate Dan Watman placed a banner with the message, "Yes to friendship! No to walls!" on the Mexican side of the binational garden.

One by one, in lapses of about 20 minutes, three protesters, including Watman, began chaining themselves with bicycle locks to different sections of the primary fence from the Mexican side while construction work was underway on the other side. A fourth protester joined about an hour later.

"I hope everything stops," said Watman, who is known for his work as an activist with the Friends of Friendship Park group, although, he said, for this demonstration he came as a member of the broader cross-border community.

The protest momentarily halted construction work, although it eventually resumed.

At one point, Watman, while chained to the fence, extended his hand through it to try to stop the work going on immediately behind him on the U.S. side.

"I have no intention of hurting anyone, I just don’t want you to do construction," Watman told workers.

From the Mexican side, Tijuana police officers and National Guard members watched but did not intervene in the demonstration, which lasted about six hours. There were no arrests.

"I oppose the construction of the new wall," said Bob Case, one of the protesters who chained himself to the fence. "I think these walls are counterproductive, that it doesn’t make sense for two countries that are not at war with each other to have a big wall between them."

Posted by:Frank G

#7 Set us up the webcam so we can film them soiling themselves.

Posted by: Rex Mundi 2023-10-27 19:58

#6 Need more concrete for those footings.

Posted by: AlanC 2023-10-27 16:02

#5 Wall them in then

Posted by: DarthVader 2023-10-27 12:38

#4 so?

Posted by: irish rage boy 2023-10-27 11:58

#3 #1 Or just tighten up that chain.

Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2023-10-27 11:21

#2 "I oppose the construction of the new wall," said Bob Case, one of the protesters who chained himself to the fence. "I think these walls are counterproductive, that it doesn’t make sense for two countries that are not at war with each other to have a big wall between them." We already know you are an idiot, you don't have to flap yer gums to prove it.

Posted by: Deacon Blues 2023-10-27 11:05

#1 Tighten that chain up and let em get hungry

Posted by: Frank G 2023-10-27 10:51

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