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Antimonumento 5J

Antimonumento 5J is a protest sculpture installed on June 5, 2023, in the Plaza de Armas in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, beside the Antimonumenta and across from the State Government Palace. Installed by human rights groups, it commemorated the protests of June 4, 5, and 6, 2020, when demonstrators were violently repressed by state police during protests over the death of Giovanni López the previous month. The work never received an official name and is known as Antimonumento 5J, Antimonumento 5 de Junio, or simply 5J. It features a red number five placed above a red J. Authorities removed it hours after installation, and later judges ordered it reinstated. A smaller replica made of LED lights and rods was installed the following month.

Antimonumento 5J glowing orange in a public plaza at twilight, with people and audio equipment nearby.
Antimonumento 5J illuminated in orange during a peaceful gathering in the plaza.
July 2023 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Antimonumento 5J standing on a paved plaza with a historic church and spires in the background.
Antimonumento 5J displayed in a public square with a historic church rising behind it.
June 2023 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
People gather in a sunlit public square around a wrapped structure being loaded onto a flatbed, with a cathedral tower in the background.
People work together around the Antimonumento 5J in a public square as onlookers watch nearby.
June 2023 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Crowd gathered in a plaza beside the Antimonumento 5J, with banners on the ground in front of an ornate stone building.
A protest gathers around the Antimonumento 5J in a public square lined by an ornate stone building.
July 2023 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Close-up of the Antimonumento 5J metal plaque with Spanish text and a QR code.
The Antimonumento 5J plaque shows a Spanish-language memorial inscription, with a small graphic at lower left and a QR code at lower right.
June 2023 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleAntimonumento 5J
TypeAnti-monument

Historical context

Commemorated eventThe protests of 4–6 June 2020 in Guadalajara against the death of Giovanni López and police brutality
Historical referenceHalconazo tapatío, a reference to the 1971 Corpus Thursday massacre (El Halconazo) in Mexico City

Creator

Installed byHuman rights groups

Discovery and provenance

Installation date5 June 2023
Installation contextInstalled during a demonstration commemorating the 5 June events

Location and ownership

LocationPlaza de Armas, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, in front of the State Government Palace and next to Antimonumenta
Adjacent artworkAntimonumenta
Ownership/statusNever received an official name

Physical characteristics

Height3.4 meters
WeightMore than 300 kilograms
FormA red number 5 placed above the letter J

Materials

Main materialRed metal structure
Plaque materialAluminum
Replica materialsRods and LED lights
Replica formSmaller and removable

Appearance

Dedicated toGiovanni López and those repressed during the protests related to his death
SymbolismAlludes to the 5 June protests
PlaqueAn aluminum plaque is placed at the base of the sculpture
Title meaningThe name references 5 June 2020 ('5J')

History and restoration

RemovalRemoved by authorities at 11:40 p.m. on the day of installation
Removal methodDismantled by a group of men using sledgehammers
Reason for removalAuthorities said the installation was not authorized and had no permits
Removal ordered byGovernor Enrique Alfaro and Guadalajara municipal president Pablo Lemus Navarro
Storage after removalFirst stored in a warehouse in Guadalajara, then transferred to the Poncitlán Regional Civil Protection and Fire Department because of its size
Court orderA judge ordered the sculpture to be reinstalled in July 2023
Government response to court orderThe state did not comply, citing public safety concerns and saying it would not release or reinstall the sculpture without an official request
Heritage assessmentThe Jalisco state branch of the National Institute of Anthropology and History said reinstalling it would not pose a risk to historical heritage
Civil protection objectionState civil protection said there were no technical studies guaranteeing public safety, the foundation could be a problem, and the steel structure could cause electrical issues because the Urban Electric Train System runs underneath the plaza
Compliance statusThe authorities had not complied with the reinstatement order as of July 2023
Replica installedA smaller, removable luminous replica was installed by human rights groups on 5 July 2023 to maintain the anti-monument's presence

Significance

Public reactionThe removal was criticized by colectivos as an unprecedented act of repression
Legal complaint#5deJunioMemoria and the Center for Justice for Peace and Development filed a complaint with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and also before the First Collegiate Court in Administrative Matters of Jalisco