A 67-year-old man was arrested by the police of the Secretariat of Citizen Security of Mexico City while planting a lemon tree on the public road of the Del Lago neighborhood, in the Benito Juárez mayoralty. The arrest took place on January 21, following a citizen complaint for damage to the sidewalk, according to the Benito Juárez mayoralty.
According to an official statement, Alfredo Carrillo, the arrested individual, and another person, had drilled the sidewalk with hammers and chisels to plant the tree. The local authority emphasized that the arrest was not due to the act of planting a tree but to the damage caused to public infrastructure, as they did not have the necessary permits.
Alfredo Carrillo, director of the Sustainable Nature Association of Mexico City, stated that his actions are part of an environmental program in collaboration with UNAM and the Autonomous University of Chapingo. He indicated that these activities are based on the constitutional right to a healthy environment.
At the time of his arrest, Alfredo, who suffers from hypertension, was forced to pay a fine and denied the possibility of accessing his medication. The police intervention included three patrols and more than 10 agents. The arrest without a court order has generated outrage on social media, with the emergence of the hashtag #JusticeForAlfredo.
