Police in Kyrgyzstan detained dozens of women's rights activists on March 7—shortly after the International Women's Day march was attacked by masked men. The activists gathered in a central square of capital Bishkek for the march. But masked men, some wearing traditional Kyrgyz white felt hats, attacked the protesters, grabbing and tearing apart their banners. The attackers left as soon as police arrived on the scene and proceeded to detain about 50 activists, mostly women. (Reuters [9]) That same day, the women's march in Mexico City's main square was set upon by anti-abortion protesters, overwhelmingly men, some of whom gave the Nazi salute. There were scuffles between the two groups, and at one point marchers hurled Molotov cocktails over police lines toward the presidential palace. (Reuters [10])
The following day, tens of thousands of women across Mexico walked out [11] of their jobs in protest of the government's lack of action regarding femicide. Mexico has seen a dramatic increase in violence against women over the past year. Especially horrific recent cases were the killing of seven-year-old Fátima Cecilia Aldrighetti [12], and the murder and flaying of 25-year-old Ingrid Escamilla [13].
Last month the Chamber of Deputies approved [14] harsher sentences for cases of femicide. The law currently awaits approval from the Senate. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador argued [15] that while the protests were for a legitimate reason, those behind them are just attempting to remove him from power. (Jurist [16])
