Chanti Olin is one of the longest running squats in Mexico City. One of the core founders of this squat, Ian, aka Hardcore, has been wrongfully arrested by the facist police around the beginning of May. Ian has been a longtime activist. He has done a variety of work from helping at the Anarchist Library to organizing radical art shows and DIY punk shows to making art in a political silkscreen collective. He has also been a wonderful host to the myriad of travelers and foreigners coming to Mexico City, and a great introducer to the DIY scene Mexico City has to offer.
Around the beginning of May, Chanti, which is both a squat and DIY showspace, had a punk show which many people attended. At a point in the evening, Ian and some friends left to buy things at the cornerstore which is when the cops first started their intimidation, a usual event on the streets of Mexico City. They searched everyone and upon finding nothing let them go, which is an unusual event in Mexico City since they have a reputuation of planting drugs on people in order to extort money from them. Later that evening, two young men that were attending the show started acting erratic- throwing rocks at walls and breaking windows. When Ian and his friend, Itza, went to investigate and told the two guys to leave. Instead of leaving, cops returned and the two men accused Ian and Itza of stealing their wallets. The cops arrested Ian and Itza and let the two guys who started the whole situation go. We believe this is due to Ian and his friend's past political connections and activism.
Currently, they are both incarcerated in the jail in Mexico City. It is typical that they serve 3 months to await their bail hearing. Money is needed for their food, since food typically contains urine and feces. Protection from the cops and other inmates, and, of course, bail and legal supportb are also a financial concern. Anything helps and thank you for your support. The sooner Ian and Itza are out, the better for Mexico City, and the better for our struggle against the facist police and prison system.
Support money can be mailed by check to (make checks out to V. Law)
V. Law
PO Box 20388
tompkins Square Station
New York, NY 10009
or sent to
Maria de los Angeles Calderon Cortez
Calle Geografia #37
Colonia Las Palmas
Ciudad Nezahualcyotl
C.P.
57440
Mexico City DF.
telf: 57653866 (the country code is 52, the city area code is 55 so from the US you dial 011-52-55-57653866, you can wire to Bancomer (this is the place where they can pick up) usually all you need to wire the money is her name and then they give you a pin number. Then you call Maria De los Angeles and give her that pin number which in turn she uses to pick up the money.
The e-mail for H's brother Sergio is: gioser71(at)hotmail.com if people want to e-mail instead of call.