The Great Emo - Punk War of 2008
A Time When Mexico City's Subcultures Collided
It started in the early 2000s when a phenomenon called Los Emos, "The Emos," began to sweep across the country of Mexico. Depression was on the rise, and sad songs filled the air. However, Los Emos had a growing enemy: "The Punks." For years, these two groups insulted each other on online forums, but in early 2008, tensions finally bubbled over and history was made.
In the spring of 2008, the city of Querétaro, Mexico, experienced the first battle of the war. Several hundred teens, led by the punks, embarked on an ambush, beating the depression out of dozens of Emo kids, leaving the streets flowing with tears tinted by eyeliner.
The Punks released a terrorist-style message to Emos in multiple cities, urging them to abandon this subculture or face punishment. The message was titled "Movimiento Anti Emosexual," meaning "The Movement against Emosexuals." The Punks believed that the Emo subculture was inherently "gay" and needed to be eradicated. With the blood of Aztec warriors coursing through their veins, they marched to the sounds of 2000s punk rock. The only way for them to find peace was through war.
The government grew concerned that this may only be the first skirmish among men. The problem was, they didn't know which side was which, so they decided to remain neutral and do all they could to prevent either side from being completely wiped out.
The Emos, on the other hand, believed that their only option was…to cry.
Los Emos decided to make the genocide of their people known to the world. They chose to march on Mexico City, meet with authorities, and plead for protection.
However, the Punks had different plans. They formed alliances with the Goths and Metal Heads and agreed to halt the Emo protest in its tracks. The Emos had gathered at the Insurgentes metro station, conveniently located near Zona Rosa, Mexico City's LGBT hub.
And on March 15, the battle began.
While the Emos assumed their protest would be peaceful, they were converged on from all directions by hundreds of members from each side. It started with words, but gradually escalated into a battle where not only fists but also belts and rocks were used as weapons. The police attempted to intervene, but even they realized they were outnumbered.
Their only option was containment.
After about 5 hours of intense fighting, the Hare Krishna followers were called in. They entered the streets chanting, making attempts to bring both sides together for peace. Neither side, nor the police, knew what to make of it, but somehow, this intervention ended the war, at least for the time being. The groups dispersed, and the streets cleared out. A formal truce was never signed, and since that day, both sides have remained in an armistice.
