Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the violence that erupted during the Generation Z protest in Mexico City on Saturday, a demonstration sparked by the assassination of Uruapan mayor Carlos Meza.

“We say no to violence. If you disagree, you should demonstrate peacefully,” Sheinbaum stated, calling for calm in the face of mounting tensions.

Sheinbaum dismissed the protest as unrepresentative of the country’s youth, saying it was orchestrated through a digital campaign financed from abroad. According to government data, the operation was driven by millions of bots and involved nearly 90 million pesos in funding.

She further asserted that “many of the participants” lacked an authentic connection to Generation Z’s demands, urging clarity over “who is promoting the demonstration” to prevent political manipulation.

Sheinbaum reinforced her appeal for peaceful protest, referencing the “exodus for democracy” led by Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and stressing that political change must be achieved through non-violent means.

Protests turned violent

Tensions escalated when a group of protesters breached a barrier and entered a restricted area near the National Palace. Federal and city police responded with tear gas to disperse the crowd and restore control.

During a separate event at the Benito Juárez scholarship award ceremony, Secretary of Public Education Mario Delgado echoed Sheinbaum’s concerns, warning that opposition forces were attempting to mislead young people through large-scale digital operations.

“Millions of bots are being hired to recover privileges and combat corruption,” Delgado stated, while emphasizing that the true Generation Z was “the generation of the Rita Cetina Scholarship, the Benito Juárez Scholarship, more scholarship recipients, and more university students.”

Delgado concluded by declaring that President Sheinbaum attracted “more young people in Jonuta than those who intended to march,” highlighting the government’s efforts to foster a culture of peace and non-violence within schools amid what he described as efforts to incite unrest.

100 police officers were injured

Thousands of demonstrators rallied across Mexico on Saturday under the banner of “Generation Z,” allegedly voicing anger over "worsening violence" following the public assassination of an anti-crime mayor earlier this month.

In Mexico City, a small group of hooded protesters tore down protective fencing around the National Palace,  the residence of President Claudia Sheinbaum, sparking clashes with riot police, who deployed tear gas, according to Reuters witnesses.

Mexico City’s public safety chief, Pablo Vazquez, told reporters that 100 police officers were injured, including 40 who required hospitalization, and that an additional 20 civilians were hurt. Vazquez also reported that 20 people had been arrested, while another 20 were “referred for administrative offenses.”

A group calling itself “Generation Z Mexico,” which mobilized the rallies, described itself in a circulating online manifesto as non-partisan and representing young Mexicans who are fed up with “violence, corruption, and abuse of power.”The term Generation Z generally refers to people born between 1997 and 2012, a demographic that has taken on a vocal, activist identity in multiple countries.

Sheinbaum’s administration has cast doubt on the origins of the movement, suggesting the marches were driven largely by right-wing political rivals and amplified by social-media bots.  

Mexico mayor shot dead during Day of the Dead festivities

Earlier this month, a mayor in Mexico’s western state of Michoacan was shot dead in front of dozens of residents and tourists attending Day of the Dead celebrations.

Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodriguez, mayor of Uruapan, was gunned down in the town’s historic plaza. State prosecutor Carlos Torres Pina said the 45-year-old was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly after. A city council member and a bodyguard were also wounded.

According to Federal Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch, the attacker fired seven shots before fleeing. He added that the weapon used was later linked to two recent gun battles between rival criminal groups operating in the region.