Hundreds March In Mexico City to Demand Action Against Police Accused of Rape

Hundreds gathered in the streets of Mexico City on Friday to protest police violence and demand punishment for police officers accused of raping minors.

The march was in response to two separate cases that have made headlines recently. In the first, four police officers are accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in their patrol car in Azcapotzalco on August 3. The second involves another policeman accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in a museum days after the first case was reported.

Early last week, protesters marched holding signs and tossing pink glitter, chanting “They don’t protect us, they rape us,” according to the BBC. By Friday, the second floor of a police station had been set on fire, along with other damage to monuments and buildings.

On August 16, a police officer was arrested in response to the museum case. So far, no arrests have been made in connection to the first case, though, in total, six officers have been suspended.

In response to the protests, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said, “Violence against women and girls is inadmissible. In this government, I’m not willing to tolerate it,” before admitting that the process for reporting violence against women is difficult to navigate and acknowledging that it needs to be changed.