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Time of India
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Mexico for Mexicans': Hundreds protest against mass tourism; tourists harassed, windows smashed
Hundreds of people marched in Mexico City on Friday to protest the influx of foreign visitors, especially Americans. They blamed them for rising rents that are pushing locals out of their neighbourhoods and forcing them to move into poorer areas. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The protest began peacefully in the capital's Roma and Condesa districts but turned violent when some masked demonstrators began smashing storefront windows, damaging restaurant furniture, and looting high-end businesses. Several protesters chanted slogans like 'Gringo go home,' 'Mexico for Mexicans,' and 'Pay taxes, learn Spanish, respect my culture' to express their frustration with tourists, urging them to leave the city. Graffiti was sprayed on shattered windows with messages such as 'Get out of Mexico,' and protesters held signs reading 'Gringos, stop stealing our home' and 'Housing is a right, not a commodity.' Demonstrators are demanding local legislation to regulate tourism and enforce stricter housing laws. The march later moved to the US Embassy, where protesters continued chanting as police reinforcements arrived. Demonstrations also continued inside the city's metro system. Mexico City's government secretary, César Cravioto, condemned the violence and described the protest as 'xenophobic expressions,' similar to what Mexican migrants have faced abroad. He reported that 15 businesses and public facilities were damaged during the protest. He called for dialogue instead of violence, saying, 'We are a city of open arms… there are always ways to negotiate, to sit at the table.' Local anger and resentment have been rising since 2020, when many Americans flocked to the Latin American city to escape Covid-19 lockdowns and take advantage of lower living costs. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Since then, rents in many neighbourhoods have soared, forcing numerous Mexican residents to relocate to more affordable areas. Michelle Castro, a 19-year-old student who joined the protest, said her working-class neighbourhood has seen apartment buildings converted into tourist housing. 'Many say it's xenophobia, but it's not. So many foreigners come here, rents are skyrocketing because of Airbnb. Some people can't even pay anymore,' she explained. The protest in Mexico City is part of a broader global backlash against mass tourism and rising housing costs, with similar demonstrations taking place in European cities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and Rome.
New York Times
05-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
As a Tourist Influx Makes Prices Soar, Hundreds Protest in Mexico City
Protests in Mexico City against a surge in tourism and rising prices turned violent on Friday night, damaging over a dozen businesses and drawing condemnation from officials. The demonstration reflected the growing frustrations of many of the capital's residents, who have watched rents skyrocket and old neighborhoods turn into swanky developments as the city has become a major tourist destination and a base for many so-called digital nomads. The protest also prompted criticism from some officials, who denounced the violence and what they said were the protests' nativist bent. The protest was initially peaceful. Hundreds of people marched through the streets, carrying signs sporting messages like, 'Your new home is an invasion,' 'We shouldn't feel like foreigners in our own land,' and 'Expat = gentrifier,' photos and videos of the protests showed. It turned violent when a small group of protesters began smashing the windows of storefronts, including a Starbucks and a bank, and graffiting walls and ransacking stores in the high-end neighborhoods of Condesa and Roma, according to The Associated Press. Fifteen businesses were affected and some cars were vandalized in the protests, Mexico City's government secretary, César Cravioto, said in an interview with Milenio, a Mexican news outlet. He urged an end to violent marches with 'xenophobic' messages, saying that Mexico City 'is a city of migrants,' and that the city's government does not agree with 'this type of demonstration.' In a statement, the governor of Mexico City, Carla Brugada, recognized the problems gentrification has caused, saying her administration was working to bolster affordable housing. 'Mexico City does not agree with gentrification,' she said. 'We know that gentrification can exclude those who have lived all their lives in their neighborhoods.' But she also denounced the violence, arguing that the campaign against gentrification should not become an excuse for discrimination or 'xenophobic expression against migrants.' Since the coronavirus pandemic, stylish neighborhoods like Roma and Condesa in Mexico City have seen an influx of foreigners, coaxed by lower living costs and the opportunity to work remotely. The surge has helped businesses in areas popular with foreigners and landlords or those renting rooms on long-term stays on platforms like Airbnb. But it has also threatened to make large swaths of the city, where the average monthly salary is about $370, unaffordable to many locals. Some protesters had likened the influx of Americans and Europeans to a modern form of colonialism, with Frente Anti Gentrificación Mx, one of the grass roots groups that organized the demonstration, calling on people to protest against 'American imperialism' in a post on social media. The group said on social media before the demonstration that gentrification amounted to 'a silent expulsion.' The demonstration in Mexico City is part of a broader movement against mass tourism that has cropped up in increasingly unaffordable cities around the world, including a recent wave of protests in Italy, Portugal and Spain.
