U.S. agents fire tear gas at 'violent mob' near Mexico border

[webfact]

U.S. agents fire tear gas at 'violent mob' near Mexico border

 

Migrants, part of a caravan of thousands from Central America trying to reach the United States, react after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) throw tear gas to the Mexican side of the fence as they prepared to cross it illegally, in Tijuana, Mexico, January 1, 2019. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

 

TIJUANA, Mexico (Reuters) - U.S. border agents launched tear gas into Mexico early on Tuesday to deter a group of migrants that one official called "a violent mob" from crossing over from Tijuana, according to a Reuters witness and the U.S. government.

 

Clouds of the noxious gas could be seen wafting up from around the fence at the border, and one migrant picked up a canister and threw it back into U.S. territory.

 

U.S. officials said the group had attacked agents with projectiles, but a Reuters witness did not see any migrants throwing rocks at U.S. agents.

 

Tijuana has become a flashpoint in the debate over U.S. immigration policy, which has been intensified by the recent deaths of two migrant children in U.S. custody and a partial U.S. government shutdown over President Donald Trump's demand for $5 billion (3.92 billion pounds) in funding for a wall along the border with Mexico.

 

A previous incident in November when U.S. agents fired gas into Mexico to disperse migrants triggered a call from Mexico's government for an investigation. A spokesman for Mexico's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

 

Late on Monday, more than 150 Central American migrants approached an area of the border in Tijuana in the Playas neighbourhood near the beach. Migrants said they thought security measures might be relaxed due to the New Year's holiday.

 

After midnight, U.S. security personnel fired tear gas into Mexico as some migrants prepared to climb a border fence, according to the Reuters witness. During a second attempt, migrants began to pass youths and children over the razor wire along the fencing to the U.S. side.

 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Katie Waldman called the group "a violent mob" and said they had thrown projectiles at agents who responded with "the minimum force necessary to defend themselves."

 

"Congress needs to fully fund the border wall," Waldman said in a statement.

 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement that the gas was aimed upwind of people throwing rocks on the Mexican side who obstructed agents from helping the children being passed over razor wire.

 

The CBP statement said agents had not directly targeted the migrants attempting to cross the fence with gas and pepper spray.

 

A Reuters witness documented in one photo where a migrant had been hit by what appeared to be a gas canister.

 

CBP said most of the migrants attempting to cross returned back to Mexico while 25 people, including two teenagers, were detained.

 

Thousands of Central American migrants have been camping at shelters in Tijuana since arriving in November after travelling in caravans across Mexico to reach the U.S. border, where many have hoped to request asylum.

 

(Reporting by Mohammed Salem; Additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Paul Simao)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-01-02

[mikebike]

I’d like to see the US response if Mexico fired anything across the border, for any reason...

[manicmike68]

5 minutes ago, mikebike said:

I’d like to see the US response if Mexico fired anything across the border, for any reason...

I don't know. I don't see any Americans trying to cross illegally into Mexico.

[mikebike]

1 minute ago, manicmike68 said:

I don't know. I don't see any Americans trying to cross illegally into Mexico.

You think that was the point? Maybe in my lengthy post you missed “any reason”...

[JAG]

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Katie Waldman called the group "a violent mob" and said they had thrown projectiles at agents who responded with "the minimum force necessary to defend themselves."

 

"Congress needs to fully fund the border wall," Waldman said in a statement

So a department of the Federal Government is now commenting directly, critically and in an openly partisan manner upon the actions of the elected chamber of the government?

 

Compared to that I suppose that lobbing tear gas across an international border into a foreign country pales into insignificance...

[Kasset Tak]

Yeah, Mexico and Canada should to close their borders against US, and there should also be embargoes put in place against US for violating human rights, interfering in other countries elections and independence, invasion of other sovereign countries, etc... That is what would happen if US would be treated the same way that we treat Russia, Iran and other countries that are on US naughty list!

[geriatrickid]

23 minutes ago, mikebike said:

I’d like to see the US response if Mexico fired anything across the border, for any reason...

Any reason? Why not deal with the actual event circumstances? A violent mob gathered at the border seeking unauthorized entry.

 

15 minutes ago, mikebike said:

You think that was the point? Maybe in my lengthy post you missed “any reason”...

The use of the term any reason is an attempt to distract from the actual circumstances. The Mexican government would not hesitate if responding in a similar fashion if  violent US nationals gathered on its border. Mexico has no  hesitation  with extrajudicial killings either.

The fact is that Mexico has not blocked the caravan for political reasons, not for humanitarian reasons. The reality is that the Mexicans have raped, robbed, and abused migrants  passing through Mexico since the migrants started. There is no concern for anyone.

[losworld]

3 minutes ago, Kasset Tak said:

Yeah, Mexico and Canada should to close their borders against US, and there should also be embargoes put in place against US for violating human rights, interfering in other countries elections and independence, invasion of other sovereign countries, etc... That is what would happen if US would be treated the same way that we treat Russia, Iran and other countries that are on US naughty list!

are you joking?  illegals and drugs have been swarming across the border for years... no illegal border crossing no tear gas etc. is it really so hard to understand?

[Prairieboy]

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

U.S. border agents launched tear gas into Mexico

Could this be considered an act of war?  What right has the USA to fire any weapon across the border?  Appalling!

 

[Tug]

Nyezhov it kinda makes me think what could possibly make a parent push the most precious thing to them over razor wire into the unknown I don’t think it’s a question of parenting but of desperation 

[geriatrickid]

4 minutes ago, Kasset Tak said:

Yeah, Mexico and Canada should to close their borders against US, and there should also be embargoes put in place against US for violating human rights, interfering in other countries elections and independence, invasion of other sovereign countries, etc... That is what would happen if US would be treated the same way that we treat Russia, Iran and other countries that are on US naughty list!

Canada has  been receiving tens of thousands of illegal migrants crossing from the USA for the past 2 years. The Canadian government has refused to block their entry and is now running a billion dollar deficit (municipal, provincial and federal) because of the illegal economic migrants. Canadians wish that the Canadian government would do so, but with an election looming  in October,  the Trudeau administration does not wish to alienate black, SE Asian and latino voting blocks.

[mikebike]

2 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

The Mexican government would not hesitate if responding in a similar fashion if  violent US nationals gathered on its border

Haha haha. Yeah, ok. BTW, I have a bridge for sale in NYC and some lovely land in Florid... are you interested?

[neeray]

33 minutes ago, manicmike68 said:

I don't know. I don't see any Americans trying to cross illegally into Mexico.

I think you missed the point of the post. I don't recall reading that Americans are trying to cross illegally into Mexico.

[Nyezhov]

21 minutes ago, Kasset Tak said:

Yeah, Mexico and Canada should to close their borders against US, and there should also be embargoes put in place against US for violating human rights, interfering in other countries elections and independence, invasion of other sovereign countries, etc... That is what would happen if US would be treated the same way that we treat Russia, Iran and other countries that are on US naughty list!

Wonderful. I agree. Lets see who caves first.

[Nyezhov]

23 minutes ago, Prairieboy said:

Could this be considered an act of war?  What right has the USA to fire any weapon across the border?  Appalling!

 

Im sure the Mexican army is gearing up ????

 

[losworld]

23 minutes ago, mikebike said:

Haha haha. Yeah, ok. BTW, I have a bridge for sale in NYC and some lovely land in Florid... are you interested?

Mexico patrols and actually has fencing and a partial wall to deter anyone entering their country from its southern border. 

[Scott]

Posts with misinformation and trolling have been removed.   Children crossing over the border without a parent will be considered unaccompanied minors.   The parents will not necessarily be allowed to join them.   They do not get a free pass.  

 

[BTB1977]

46 minutes ago, mikebike said:

You think that was the point? Maybe in my lengthy post you missed “any reason”...

Your point was pointless.  You are talking about something that did not happen. Maybe you had a dream about what would happen? Maybe your imagination went wild? Maybe you had a drug related flashback? Who knows. Nobody knows but you. 

[mikebike]

6 minutes ago, losworld said:

Mexico patrols and actually has fencing and a partial wall to deter anyone entering their country from its southern border. 

I know. Any incidents of the Mexican border patrol firing tear gas into Guatemala? Didn't think so.

[mikebike]

4 minutes ago, BTB1977 said:

Maybe your imagination went wild?

Yes. Imagining scenarios is always a bad thing when analysing potentialities.

 

Is your position that a Mexican govt agency firing a potentially life-threatening ordinance into the USA would occur without a response from the USA. ????????????

[thaiguzzi]

American paid Agent Provocateurs given lessons by the American SS (Secret Service).

Blatantly obvious.

Keep "The Wall" in the news with positive coverage ie "those rapists and drug dealing scum are invading us!".

Help we are not safe.

We need a wall.

Pathetic.

 

Actually i think a wall is a good idea. A wall on every US border. To keep the Americans IN.

[geriatrickid]

38 minutes ago, mikebike said:

I know. Any incidents of the Mexican border patrol firing tear gas into Guatemala? Didn't think so.

not reported, but we do know of the tens of thousands who have been robbed, abused, killed and raped. Mexicans are racists just like everyone else and consider the short, squat, dark southerners to be  worthless save for menial tasks. Mexico has been a place of horrors for these migrants.

[CMNightRider]

7 minutes ago, losworld said:

are you joking?  illegals and drugs have been swarming across the border for years... no illegal border crossing no tear gas etc. is it really so hard to understand?

 

7 minutes ago, Prairieboy said:

Could this be considered an act of war?  What right has the USA to fire any weapon across the border?  Appalling!

 

Act of war???  Appalling???  Weapon???  Lol, Rub those sleepy little eyes and let's give this a little thought.  Tear gas is nothing more than a tool (party favor) law enforcement can use to disperse rioters or in this case to discourage an extremely large hostile group of foreigners from entering the US illegally.  

 

I wonder what would happen if hordes of Americans rushed the border of Mexico, in an attempt to enter Mexico illegally.  I would venture to guess, being subjected to tear gas would be the least of their worries.  

 

As far as firing tear gas into Mexico, there is a no mans land separating the border crossings from the US into Mexico, making the ability to fire tear gas projectiles from the US into Mexico very difficult.  

 

Anyway, the US Border Agents acted within their authority to safe guard the US border.  There is no threat of war breaking out between Mexico and the US over this incident but thank you for your concern.   

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, geriatrickid said:

Any reason? Why not deal with the actual event circumstances? A violent mob gathered at the border seeking unauthorized entry.

 

The use of the term any reason is an attempt to distract from the actual circumstances. The Mexican government would not hesitate if responding in a similar fashion if  violent US nationals gathered on its border. Mexico has no  hesitation  with extrajudicial killings either.

The fact is that Mexico has not blocked the caravan for political reasons, not for humanitarian reasons. The reality is that the Mexicans have raped, robbed, and abused migrants  passing through Mexico since the migrants started. There is no concern for anyone.

Utter hogwash.

 

Appart from your poor attempt at deflection around ‘any reason’, your assertion why Mexico fails to ‘block’ the people heading towards the US border is without foundation.

 

A simple internet search will provide you with plenty of examples of concerns raised regarding the abuse of refugees in Mexico, but even if it did not, your acceptance of the abuse leaves you with a problem explaining your support for leaving these people in Mexico and subject to that abuse.

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

6 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

not reported, but we do know of the tens of thousands who have been robbed, abused, killed and raped. Mexicans are racists just like everyone else and consider the short, squat, dark southerners to be  worthless save for menial tasks. Mexico has been a place of horrors for these migrants.

So you’ll back efforts to help refugees now in Mexico suffering this abuse seek safe haven in the US as is their legal right to do do?

[bristolboy]

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

Im sure the Mexican army is gearing up ????

 

Yes, another supporter of might makes right. Thanks, comrade.

[mikebike]

17 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

not reported, but we do know of the tens of thousands who have been robbed, abused, killed and raped. Mexicans are racists just like everyone else and consider the short, squat, dark southerners to be  worthless save for menial tasks. Mexico has been a place of horrors for these migrants.

Wow. How do the migrants even get close to making it to the US border with their grandparents and kids in such hugh numbers while  having to run a guantlet of Mexican murderers, rapists and robbers? They must be freaking superhumans!! ????????????

[mikebike]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5096012/

23 minutes ago, CMNightRider said:

Tear gas is nothing more than a tool (party favor) law enforcement can use to disperse rioters

Really?

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5096012/

[NanLaew]

30 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

... Mexicans are racists just like everyone else and consider the short, squat, dark southerners to be  worthless save for menial tasks. ...

Mexicans are the same race as their neighbors. Different nationality though.

 

Talking of short, squat, dark southerners, have you seen my new girlfriend from Buriram?

[mikebike]

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

Mexicans are the same race as their neighbors. Different nationality though.

 

Talking of short, squat, dark southerners, have you seen my new girlfriend from Buriram?

Shoulda said Patalung.  Buriram is North East!!????????