Student Reporter Sexually Assaulted And Arrested By Mexico, D.F. Police During 1-year Protest Of Nieto's Administration

Alejandra Natalia Rodríguez Escobar

Female reporter from La Jornada was also assaulted by police for video taping Escobar's arrest in Mexico, D.F.

By H. Nelson Goodson

December 1, 2013

Mexico, D.F. - On Sunday, Somos el Medio dot org. reported that Mexican police arrested Alejandra Natalia Rodríguez Escobar, 21, a student reporter for Somos el Medio, a digital news source while attempting to cover the 1-year march and protest of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto's government. A large event composed of a march and protest began earlier today to commemorate last year's manisfestations after Nieto was elected.

A confrontation ignited between large groups of young people with their faces covered and granaderos (grain workers). The protesters also threw rocks at the Televisa Chapultepec installation and damaged a police van. Some teenagers painted graffiti around the area as they went through as police formed lines to maintain control and limit the spread of violence by the protesters. 

Also in some subway stations near the protests, authorities took measures and closed their metal gates to prevent the protesters from going into the subway areas.

Escobar apparently was covering today's events when she was illegally stopped, beaten, inappropriately touched (sexually assaulted), searched and taken into custody by Mexico, D.F. police, according to Rogelio Velázquez, a reporter for La Revista Contralinea. Velázquez accompanied Escobar at the time of her arrest and witnessed her assault and detention. She was then forced into a police squad number 7539, Velázquez said. 

Another reporter, Tania Maldonado, from La Jornada says, a police officer struck her cellphone with a baton while recording Escobar getting assaulted and being taken into custody.

Escobar was taken to the Territorial Coordination Processing Center in Miguel Hidalgo Number 1. A judge will determine, if police have enough evidence that Escobar committed an illegal act while reporting.

A member for the Federal District Human Rights Commission accompanied Escobar during her arrest, Somos el Medio dot org. reported.