No Borders Camp went into full swing today with the successful set up of the border action camp. It started off as two seperate rallies one on the American side in the city of Calexico California and another on the Mexican side in the city of Mexicali the state capital of Baja California at the border crossing. Both rallies marched down the border wall with the intent of meeting up ,where the wall finally ends, but were met with a wall of law enforcement. Both rallies stopped and set up camp with out meeting up but with no movement on the part of law enforcement to remove them. With a circle of Border Patrol, California State Troopers, and Homeland Security the camp quickly setup bathrooms, medical facilities, a media lab, and a tent city complete with drinking water, music, and food. At the end of the day everyone was exhilirate and in high spirits. All members of the camp were working together and a ladder was set up against the border wall to communicate with the action camp on the Mexicali side. It was sumed up best by someone I over heard talking about today's events as saying "I love it when a plan comes together".
In 90 degree weather rallies formed on both sides of the border with people on each side starting to pound on the heavy steel border wall while chanting. The pounding on the wall, in some cases with rocks, began to synchronize with the chanting and in one beautiful moment two people from the Mexicali side jumped up on top of the border wall and start waving black flags while everyone from both sides yelled in solidarity. This began the march and at the same time put the law enforcement (local and federal) into action with officers climbing on to surrounding buildings with huge cameras and running to mobilize vehicles that couldn't quite catch up with the march till about three blocks later. The march, with about 125 people on the American side and about 50 on the Mexican side, was lead by an assortment of people on foot as well as bikes. It was followed up from behind by a caravan of vehicles which would provide the supplies and hardware for setting up the camp. This was an epic journey through the desert toward the land of autonomy which would be set up. During this three and half mile journey the temperature became and obstacle as well as the unknown feeling of what the Border Patrol had plan for the group since everyone could see them amassing way up ahead. Then a airplane and two helicopters showed up. The march was coming to a head as it neared its planned destination where the border wall ended and both marches could come together and set up camp. The Border Patrol was also setting up a line at the end of the wall then enclosed the march as the group reached the wall of officers. As the scene reached a heightened state it suddenly became apparent that the Border Patrol seemed to have little concern for the group on the American side but instead a strong focus on the group on the Mexican side. The line of Border Patrol, some dressed in riot gear, faced the Mexican Border spouting off racist remarks at the group of people marching in Mexicali. The Border Patrol waited for movement from our group of compadres on the Mexicali side of the border as the group on the American side sprang into action setting up tents literally at the backs of the Border Officers. The area was cleared of piles of cut brush and made into a wall of our own between the camp and the law enforcement. The Border Patrol at this moment seemed very confused to see people setting up camp on the border as well as what exactly was going on. In the confusion people on the American side ran across the border only to be told that they couldn't come back that way. As the camp dug in deeper it had a radio station, latreens, media station, medical tent and trailer with drinking water flowing all in place as the law enforcement were still second guessing what people were doing. They encircled the camp, blocked off the roads to the area and brought in large towers with flood lights on them. And as the lights came on the law enforcement saw before them a fully functional action camp completely set up with music going and a beach ball bouncing between the American and Mexican side of the Border.
Later on into the night a small caravan snuck its way into the camp past the road blocks delivering food and supplies. Most of the people in the caravan had been to the camp already but one individual had not. He stood there looking around and taken back by the enormity of what was before him. All he could think was that two big countries rest against each other at these imaginary lines that people take so seriously. You could feel the influence of power all around and yet a group of close to two hundred people defy this notion, even flat out ignore it and go about their business of camping. It confused the authorities but it amazed me. Totally amazed me.
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