Mexico City Protests Over Gentrification Turn Violent

Violent protests erupted in Mexico City’s Roma and Condesa neighborhoods as hundreds of local residents marched against gentrification and mass tourism, particularly targeting American expatriates and digital nomads. The protest, which began peacefully, escalated to vandalism, with masked demonstrators smashing storefronts, looting shops, and spraying graffiti such as 'Get out of Mexico' and 'Gringos, stop stealing our home.' Protesters attribute rising rents and the displacement of locals to the influx of foreign visitors and short-term rentals, demanding stricter housing laws and regulation of tourism. City officials, including government secretary César Cravioto, condemned both the violence and xenophobic rhetoric, urging dialogue and highlighting the irony of prejudice faced by Mexican migrants abroad. Critics note that while the protests stem from valid housing concerns, they risk conflating gentrification with anti-foreigner sentiment, which can obscure deeper economic issues. The unrest mirrors global backlash against mass tourism, seen in cities like Barcelona and Paris.