Mahatma Gandhi in Chihuahua

Chihuahua is better known for Pancho Villa than Mahatma Gandhi, but who says your can’t teach old revolutionaries new tricks?

Around 11 A.M. this morning (6 January), around a thousand citizens who had blockaded the Carmargo (Chihuahua) tool booth were met by 30 Federal Police officers and ordered to disburse. The demonstrators refused to leave their positions, and the police sent for back-up. 

Shortly after 11 AM, an additional 200 officers, in full riot gear, arrived at the scene.  With the citizens holding their position, the police prepared to dislodge the protesters and began to move in beating their shields with their riot batons.  At which point…

The citizens knelt on the roadway, raised their hands in the air and began singing in unison, the Himno Nacional!

The Federal officer commanding the operation, identified as Teófilo Gutiérrez, ordered the police to fall back, and after meeting with community leaders Arturo Rey, Francisco Barajas, Jorge González, René Flores and Guillermo Briseño, called off the operation, with the citizens allowing traffic to continue on the toll-way, although the booths were closed and the demonstration continued.

Día histórico para Camargo … brilliante reacción frente antimotines. Onze TV Carmago.