snipped from theEl Paso Times

Police raise vigilance after ’emos’ incident

By Daniel Borunda / El Paso Times

Article Launched: 03/28/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT

A confrontation in the upscale Las Misiones mall between teenage cliques of “emos” and “punks” on Wednesday night has Juárez police officials stepping in and asking for tolerance.

The mall incident, which police said might have been sparked by an exchange of words, might have been a copycat of highly publicized attacks on emos by mobs in Queretaro and Mexico City.

Juárez public safety secretary Guillermo Prieto Quintana in a news statement on Thursday said the police anti-gang unit would increase patrols at teen hangouts to discourage problems.

Prieto Quintana said that Mexico’s northern border has traditionally been tolerant of all types of expressions, and he urged teens to respect others’ right to self-expression.

The emo is a style and musical offshoot of punk music. Emos often sport dark hair covering part of their faces, dark clothing and an emotional outlook that has been described by some as effeminate, which might have fueled the mob attacks in the macho culture of Mexico.

The attacks on emos in Mexico have gained international attention, with television news airing videos filmed by the punch-throwing mobs chanting, “Kill the emos.” On Thursday, Time magazine’s Web site had a report titled “Mexico’s Emo-Bashing Problem.”

Click to view interview of prominent cultural psychologist dissecting emo hate and advising emo kids on how to avoid derision and confrontation…