EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Border Network for Human Rights canceled what would have been its 12th rendition of its Hugs Not Walls event, shifted gears and had another protest event along the border this weekend in its place.
BNHR canceled Hugs Not Walls after the federal government created a “Texas defense area” associated with Fort Bliss for purposes of increasing immigration enforcement.
So the group decided to hold what it called Madres de La Frontera: Love Without Borders on Saturday, May 10 at Paisano Park, 1800 W. Paisano in the border area near UTEP.
About 200 people — evenly split on both sides of the border — attended the event, according to KTSM crews on the scene.
BNHR called it a “binational, peaceful protest to honor the courage and advocacy of mothers across our borderlands — and to denounce family separation and border militarization. The event will feature mothers, children, and families on both sides of the border, accompanied by mariachis, giant puppets, and remarks from community leaders.”
Fernando Garcia, executive director for BNHR, said the event sent a strong message that families are still separated by the border.
“These separations still exist. It has not disappearted. To do this was a reaffirmation of that,” Garcia said.
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