(MENAFN) Masked rioters clashed with police in Mexico City on Saturday during the anti-government ‘Generation Z’ protest, which began peacefully but escalated near the National Palace.

Thousands of demonstrators marched from the Angel of Independence to Constitution Square, gathering outside the presidential office. According to reports, a group of masked protesters—described by local media as Black Bloc—broke through security barriers, threw stones, and engaged in physical confrontations with officers.

Videos from the scene show protesters striking police, while officers were seen kicking a protester lying on the ground. The skirmishes lasted roughly an hour before police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The demonstrators were protesting corruption, abuse of power, and impunity for violent crime, with many chanting against the ruling left-wing Morena party.

President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the violence, stating, “If people disagree, they should express their views through peaceful demonstration. Violence must never be used as a means of achieving change.” She previously suggested that the protests were influenced by “bots and fake accounts on social media” coordinated by “right-wing groups.”

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