A peaceful protest on Friday in Mexico City quickly turned into chaos as hundreds of people took to the streets to express their anger over mass tourism and gentrification in popular neighborhoods like Condesa and Roma, even as a small group of masked protesters smashed storefront windows and looted high-end shops, according to a report published by The Associated Press on Saturday.
From Peaceful March to Vandalism and Harassment
Graffiti on broken glass stated, “get out of Mexico,” while others carried signs demanding tourists leave and called for tougher housing and tourism laws, the report said, adding that tourists were verbally abused where they were present.
The protesters, the report said, were seen heading towards the US Embassy to hold demonstratations as police reinforcements and sirens blared throughout the city center.
Rising Rents and Local Displacement Fuel Anger
The uprising is a being seen as a sign of increased discontent among residents who feel driven out of their own communities. According to the report, US-based “digital nomads” have flooded Mexico City since 2020, drawn by lower rents and the desire to leave behind the pandemic lockdowns.
However, the arrival has reportedly driven rents through the roof. Michelle Castro, a 19-year-old university student and protester, told the Associated Press, “Mexico City is undergoing a shift. There are a lot of foreigners, specifically Americans, that are moving in to stay. They call it xenophobia, but it isn’t. It’s because so many foreigners come in here, rents are through the roof due to Airbnb. Rents are so expensive that even people can’t afford it anymore.”
Echoes of Global Anti-Tourism Movements
Mexico City’s protests are reverbreating across Europe, with Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, and Rome cities also witnessing locals resisting the effects of mass tourism on housing and everyday life.
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