A marea verde, or “green tide,” once again filled the streets surrounding Congress, as it does every March 8, marking International Women’s Day in Argentina. Thousands of women of all ages, from the elderly with canes to help them walk, to the little ones hand-in-hand with their mothers, were present on a day of feminist struggle.
In one of the most important capital cities in the world, the same rallying cry is repeated. This year in Argentina, the central slogan was "we were the tide, we will be tsunami.”
Protesters carried signs that synthesised the battle of women against gender violence. Some of them read: "It is not normal that we all have a history of abuse,” "We are the cry of those who are no longer here,” "We are fed up,” "In the face of hate, in the face of fear, we wear our scarves,” and "They want us to be muses because they fear us artists.”
The faces of victims of femicides were on some women's banners: they included Anahí Benítez, murdered in 2017, and Candela Rodríguez, whose life was taken in 2011. Mothers of Plaza de Mayo were also present.
Attendees also shouted slogans in reference to sexual abuse and femicides, including: "When it happened to me, my mum did not listen to me, but my friends listened to me, and that is why I march," and "In memory of all the girls who were not believed.”
"We have been here since 9am in the morning; that is the folklore of the march. Since 11a, all the women started to gather,” Trinidad, 29, from Buenos Aires Province said to Perfíl. “The purpose is to make us visible and, like every 8M, that they stop killing us. The State has to guarantee our safety.”
Classic phrases of the feminist fight were also read, such as "Church and State, separate matter,” "Silence never again,” "I believe you, you are not alone,” and "Now that they see us.”
The Congress building was fenced off, and dozens of police officers were present. There was no total traffic cut, so some cars were trapped among the protesters, and the rest of the vehicles circulated trying to escape from the traffic.
Buses and subway lines going to Congress Plaza were crowded with attendees starting at noon. Although the great majority of the demonstrators were women, unlike other years, some men were present.
A golden retriever carried a sign around his neck that read "I want my owner to always come back.” On the façades of buildings were painted the phrase "it's your wall but it was my little girl.”
The youngest girls wore green and violet glitter on their faces, and all, without exception, wore the green handkerchief in favour of legal, safe and free abortion on their wrists. "We cannot today be thinking about the repeal of abortion, something that cost us so much," says Nadin, 41, who identifies as non-binary.
With drums, union flags, and a verdurazo, there was no shortage of dancing and chanting. "If it bothers you that we are fighting, you are part of the problem," and "Abu, I came to shout what they made you shut up,” the demonstrators sang.
– With reporting by Martha Contreras
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