For Immediate Release: 11/11/07
Personal accounts and photos can be found at: http://www.sandiego.indymedia.org

Calexico, CA–At the end of a week-long bi-national camp at the Calexico/Mexicali border, Border Patrol officers attacked a rally at the Mexicali/Calexico port of entry. Around 100 Border Patrol officers assaulted a group of about 30 demonstrators on the U.S. side with pepper gas pellets, tazers, and batons. Several people were beaten and arrested; more suffered from the use of chemical weapons.

As people attempted to disperse, the border patrol chased and detained groups of them, forcing them to their knees with their hands on their heads. In one case, a person badly injured by pepper pellets shot at close range was pursued away from the conflict, pulled away from a companion wanting to treat his wounds, surrounded and beaten in the head with batons by up to 15 border patrol agents. All who were temporarily detained on the street have now been released.

More than 500 people participated in the No Borders Camp during the week of November 7-11. The bi-national camp out was billed as a networking forum for activists opposed to the militarization of the border. Previous No Borders Camps have taken place in Europe and Australia.

Activities during the camp included a rally and march on November 9 at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in El Centro, CA and a memorial service on November 10 at a cemetery in Holtville, CA where the remains of migrants who’ve died crossing the border are buried. All activities during the camp were peaceful and intended to build connections across borders. Sunday’s march was meant to culminate the border camp.

For more information visit http://www.noborderscamp.org.