Now some punks have something to be punk about

* Above: Anti-emo kids tear apart a welcoming banner for the emos at El Chopo.

It was supposed to have been a multi-tribe peaceful march for tolerance for the emos, from the Glorieta de Insurgentes to the one-and-only El Chopo street market, where for 25 years nearly every branch of alternative youth culture in Mexico City has gathered on Saturdays. Nevermind. It failed.

On a hot and rainy day here, emos arrived to El Chopo and were received with nasty resistance from some punks, skinheads, and darketos. It should have been expected. At the start of the march, I barely saw a single sympathetic member of any another tribu urbana. Plus, the emos arrived under heavy protection by riot police -- not a heartwarming sight for any self-respecting punk. (Some punks in fact said it was the presence of the poli that set them off.) "Fucking emo pigs!" they chanted ferociously. Defeated, the emos retreated behind police lines and left, further revving up the Chopo regulars -- who then decided to start moshing.

Meanwhile, in Tijuana, emos marched and faced their adversaries today and on Friday night. Norma Hernandez (yeah, my mom) put herself on "special assignment" for Intersections and provided images, seen below. She reports that emos are regularly discriminated against by the merchants at Plaza Rio Tijuana (a rare bit of public space for the border city). Mom writes: "Bueno yo iba a ir a pelearme con los mendigos comerciantes y tratar de defender su derecho de estar ahi y de ir al cine si les da su regalada gana..les mandan policias armados [...] Apoyo a los Emos!!"

BeamTV in Tijuana has more coverage.

* Punk girls in TJ.

* In Tijuana, demonstrating for tolerance.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: "Violence against emos sweeps across Mexico," "More on the emo attacks in Mexico," "The emos of Mexico are fighting back," "Emos prepare to rumble in Tijuana, march for peace in Mexico City," "Could the anti-emo movement be good for emos?"

NOTE: Updates with more links are coming later.

Comments

[Cristal]

I´m your mama´s biggest fan!!!

[ryan]

Not directly related, but I am quite sure I saw you at Cuervo saturday night.

[Daniel H.]

Yup, I was there. Saw The National but missed BSS. Gonna post something later.. Cool. D

[reinito]

i on the other hand, having sided with the punks, didn't see you on sat.

¿el hijo del cuervo? no chingues... :)

[Daniel H.]

Tambien llegue al concierto punk, reinito. Calmado...

[reinito]

thank god...it's vive cuervo... had me concerned there for a minute.

anyway, it's still a bummer we didn't meet. maybe friday, maybe not...

[Cristal]

I´m witness of Daniel´s assistance in both events, at Vive Cuervo & something weird punk concert at Colima St. I went too.

[Joelle]

Hi Daniel,

I am a photographer and journalist living in Paris. I am coming to visit a friend in Mexico City next month and would like to do a feature on the emo kids while I am there.

I know it's a lot to ask, but I was wondering if you have any contacts of people I could speak to beforehand to set up some interviews and photos ops during my visit.

In the hope that I can one day return the favor for you...By the way, I cover fashion for the Associated Press in Paris and have done a photo exhibition of street fashion shots. I am interested in this issue because I am exploring the language of clothing in my work, and am struck by how one group can become the target of discrimination on the basis of appearance alone.

All the best,

Joelle