
Protests Against Surge Mass-Tourism in Mexico City End in Vandalism, Harassment of Tourists
Masked protesters smashed through the windows and looted high-end businesses in the touristic areas of Condesa and Roma and screamed at tourists in the area. Marchers then continued on to protest outside the US Embassy. Graffiti on shattered glass being smashed through with rocks read: 'get out of Mexico.' Police reinforcements gathered outside the Embassy building as police sirens rung out in the city center Friday evening. It marked a violent end to a more peaceful march throughout the day calling out against masses of American tourists who have flooded into Mexico's capital in recent years.
Tension had been mounting in the city since American digital nomads flocked to Mexico City in 2020–many to escape coronavirus lockdowns in the US. Since then, rents have soared, and locals have increasingly gotten pushed out of their neighborhoods–particularly areas like Condesa and Roma, lush areas packed with coffee shops and restaurants.
The Mexico City protest comes at the same time other European cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Rome, and more are also facing mounting protests railing against mass tourism.
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Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Protests Against Surge Mass-Tourism in Mexico City End in Vandalism, Harassment of Tourists
A protest by hundreds against gentrification and mass tourism that began peacefully Friday in Mexico City neighborhoods popular with tourists turned violent when a small number of people began smashing storefronts and harassing foreigners. Masked protesters smashed through the windows and looted high-end businesses in the touristic areas of Condesa and Roma and screamed at tourists in the area. Marchers then continued on to protest outside the US Embassy. Graffiti on shattered glass being smashed through with rocks read: 'get out of Mexico.' Police reinforcements gathered outside the Embassy building as police sirens rung out in the city center Friday evening. It marked a violent end to a more peaceful march throughout the day calling out against masses of American tourists who have flooded into Mexico's capital in recent years. Tension had been mounting in the city since American digital nomads flocked to Mexico City in 2020–many to escape coronavirus lockdowns in the US. Since then, rents have soared, and locals have increasingly gotten pushed out of their neighborhoods–particularly areas like Condesa and Roma, lush areas packed with coffee shops and restaurants. The Mexico City protest comes at the same time other European cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Rome, and more are also facing mounting protests railing against mass tourism.


Arab News
3 days ago
- Arab News
Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. arrested by US immigration
LOS ANGELES: Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has been arrested by US immigration officers and faces deportation from the US, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Chavez, a former world champion and the son of legendary Mexican fighter Julio Cesar Chavez, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Los Angeles on Wednesday after authorities determined that he was in the country illegally, Homeland Security said in a statement. Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, said the 39-year-old fighter has 'an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition and explosives.' The Mexican public prosecutor's office said in a statement later Thursday that Mexico had issued an arrest warrant for Chavez in 2023 'for organized crime and arms trafficking.' US authorities informed Mexico that they have begun the procedure to send him home, it added. Homeland Security said Chavez is believed to have ties to the Sinaloa cartel, one of six Mexican drug trafficking groups designated as terrorist organizations by the US. Chavez's arrest comes days after his lopsided loss to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a cruiserweight bout before a sell-out crowd at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Michael A. Goldstein, a lawyer for Chavez, told the Los Angeles Times that Chavez 'was detained outside of his residence by 25 or more ICE and other law enforcement agents.' 'They blocked off his street and took him into custody, leaving his family without any knowledge of his whereabouts,' Goldstein said. 'The current allegations are outrageous and appear to be designed as a headline to terrorize the community.' Homeland Security said Chavez had entered the US legally in 2023 on a tourist visa that was valid until February 2024. In April last year, he applied for permanent residency based on his marriage to a US citizen 'who is connected to the Sinaloa cartel through a prior relationship with the now-deceased son of the infamous cartel leader Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman.' Homeland Security said that in addition to the active warrant in Mexico, Chavez had criminal convictions in the US, including on weapons charges in 2024 in Los Angeles. According to the statement, US Citizenship and Immigration Services told ICE that Chavez posed 'an egregious public safety threat.' Donald Trump campaigned for president promising to expel millions of undocumented migrants from the US, and he has taken a number of actions aimed at speeding up deportations and reducing border crossings. Authorities accused the administration of Trump's predecessor Joe Biden of not making Chavez an 'immigration enforcement priority.' Chavez was allowed to re-enter the US on Jan. 4, 2025 at the San Ysidro port of entry, Homeland Security said — while Biden was still in the White House. In a statement posted on the X account of Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., the Chavez family expressed support for Chavez Jr. 'Our family is deeply dismayed by the situation,' the statement said. 'In these difficult times, we reiterate our full and unconditional support for Julio. 'We fully trust in his innocence and his humanity, as well as in the justice institutions in both Mexico and the United States, in which we place our hope that this situation will be clarified according to the law and truth.' Chavez Jr. won the WBC middleweight world title in 2011 and successfully defended it three times. He owns a record of 54-7 with one draw, but his career has also included multiple suspensions and fines for failed drug tests. Two weeks before his bout with Paul, Chavez held a public workout in California where he told the Los Angeles Times that one of his trainers had skipped the session because of fears raised by immigration arrests. 'I don't understand the situation — why so much violence?' he told the newspaper. 'There are a lot of good people, and you're giving the community an example of violence. 'After everything that's happened, I wouldn't want to be deported,' he said.


Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Al Arabiya
What to Know About Julio César Chávez's Arrest by U.S. Immigration Officials
US immigration officials arrested famous Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. days after his high-profile fight with Jake Paul for overstaying his visa and lying on a green card application, officials said Thursday. Chávez was detained in front of his home on Wednesday and will be deported to Mexico, where he faces organized crime charges, authorities said. Here's what to know about this arrest: Who is Chávez? The 39-year-old boxer is a former middleweight champion from Mexico. His father, Julio César Chávez, is one of the most beloved athletes in Mexican history and a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The son has battled drug addiction for much of his lengthy boxing career, failing drug tests, serving suspensions, and egregiously missing weight while being widely criticized for his intermittent dedication to the sport. The younger Chavez still rose to the heights, winning the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and defending it three times. Chávez shared the ring with generational greats Canelo Álvarez and Sergio Martinez, losing to both. In 2012, he was convicted of drunken driving in Los Angeles and sentenced to 13 days in jail. Then, in January 2024, he was arrested on gun charges. Police said he possessed two AR-style ghost rifles. He was later freed on a $50,000 bond and on condition he went to a residential drug treatment facility. The case is still pending, with Chávez reporting his progress regularly. Chávez was away from the ring for three years before his return late last year, but Paul's invitation brought him back again. Where was he arrested? According to his attorney, Michael Goldstein, Chávez was picked up Wednesday by a large number of federal agents while he was riding a scooter in front of a home where he resides in the upscale Los Angeles neighborhood of Studio City, near Hollywood. Goldstein said officials blocked off the street and took Chávez into custody without informing his family. TV stations staked out his home Thursday afternoon and did not see anyone leave his home. Just days before, Chávez had faced off against influencer-turned-boxer Paul and lost in a highly anticipated fight in Anaheim, California. The Department of Homeland Security said officials had determined Chávez should be arrested June 27, a day before the fight. It was unclear why they waited to act for days after the high-profile event. What is he accused of? Federal officials said in a news release that Chávez overstayed a tourist visa that he entered the US with in August 2023. The visa expired in February 2024, they said. Homeland Security said Chávez submitted multiple fraudulent statements when he applied for permanent residency on April 2, 2024, based on his marriage to a US citizen, Frida Muñoz. She is the mother of a granddaughter of imprisoned Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman. US officials said he is believed to be affiliated with the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, which is blamed for a significant percent of Mexico's drug violence. Mexico's Attorney General's Office said that an arrest warrant against Julio C. was issued in March 2023 in an investigation of organized crime and arms trafficking allegations and that Mexico initiated extradition proceedings on Thursday. A federal agent, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, confirmed to The Associated Press that Julio C. is Chávez. What happens next? Goldstein, Chávez's attorney, said he did not know where Chávez was being detained as of Thursday morning. DHS said Thursday that he was being processed for expedited removal from the country. Chávez's family issued a statement Thursday afternoon in support of him, the Los Angeles Times reported. 'We have full confidence in his innocence,' the statement said. 'We firmly believe that the proper course is to allow the competent authorities to carry out their work without external pressure or speculation.'