What is the line that separates authoritarianism from crime?

What is the line that separates authoritarianism from crime?

Apparently, the police are unaware of the incident. Yesterday, a simple misunderstanding arose when a food delivery driver, startled by the barking of a pet that had wandered out of its home in the La Colorada area of ​​the 26 de Abril neighborhood on Viva Santa Cruz street, called the police after seeing the pet's owner come out with a chain in his hand. The officers arrived immediately and displayed their full force of the law: they struck the pet owner with their batons. The blows were witnessed by the owner's son, who came to his father's defense.

In response to the son's reaction, the police reacted with the violence typical of those who believe they "own" the city, insulting the young man with a series of derogatory terms, insisting that he come out into the street. Immediately, the mother intervened in his defense, and the police shouted at the woman, harassing her to come out into the street as well. Obviously, the purpose was to get rid of the woman, the son, and the whole family, depriving them of their freedom, as a form of discipline so that they would not claim their rights.

Police officers, while we are certainly in a time of quarantine, that does not mean you can be silenced, nor does it give you the right to silence and beat people. Citizens have the legitimate right to respond and defend themselves; for your part, you are obligated to uphold and defend the Constitution, as well as the Organic Law of the Police.

Article 252 of the Bolivian Constitution states that the Police have the specific mission of defending society and maintaining public order; they do not deliberate or participate in partisan political action. Likewise, the Organic Law of the Police establishes as its fundamental mission the defense of society and the guarantee of compliance with the law, enabling the inhabitants and society to develop fully in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. However, their actions tell a completely different story. It is well known and evident that wherever they go, they intimidate, insult, suppress free expression, criminalize protest, and detain people. This is an authority imposed by force.

When police service oversteps the bounds of duty and becomes authoritarian, it ceases to be a means of preventing violence and becomes violence itself, violating people's constitutional rights and guarantees. What happened to our colleague and his family is an example of aggression rather than protection and public safety.

We, who know the police negligence when a woman in a situation of violence asks for help and they never arrive, will not tire of carrying out citizen oversight committed to rights and will denounce every act that violates the CPE, human rights and the laws that protect them, we will continue to demand a transparent police institution that provides timely, impartial and quality services.

We express our solidarity with our 20-year-old comrade, Denilson, a human rights activist for the sexual and gender diversity population, and his family.

Women's Center