(MENAFN- Live Mint) Over 100 people were injured and 20 were detained during a massive protest on Saturday in Mexico City against the Mexican President's handling of violent crime.

Thousands marched on the capital's historic main public square, the Zócalo, in a demonstration that drew support from young Mexicans connected to a global wave of Generation Z protests, as well as backers of the domestic "Sombrero Movement." This movement emerged following the recent assassination of a mayor known for his campaign against organised crime.

Protesters of all ages took part in the rally opposite to the National Palace, where President Claudia Sheinbaum resides and works.

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According to news agency AFP, several agitators, some wearing balaclavas, pulled down the metal barriers protecting the palace and hurled cobblestones at public order police, who responded with tear gas.

Pablo Vázquez, Mexico City's security chief, reported that 20 protesters and 100 police personnel were injured, with 40 officers hospitalised for cuts and bruises.

"For many hours, this mobilization proceeded and developed peacefully, until a group of hooded individuals began to commit acts of violence," Vazquez told reporters.

The police detained 20 individuals for theft and assault, he confirmed.

Authorities also launched an investigation into the assault of a journalist from La Jornada newspaper, which alleged that police officers were responsible for the incident.

“Corrupt Narco-Government”

Sheinbaum, who has been in power since October 2024, maintained approval ratings above 70 per cent in her first year in office, but she has faced increasing criticism of her security policies following several high-profile murders.

"This is one of the most corrupt governments we've ever had," Valentina Ramirez, a student, told AFP.“It's a corrupt narco-government that wants to defend the corrupt and the cartels instead of the people.”

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During the protest, several demonstrators wore sombreros similar in style to the hat made famous by Carlos Manzo, a mayor in the western Michoacán state who was assassinated on 1 November. Manzo had been known for his crusade against drug-trafficking gangs in his hometown of Uruapan. However, the assassinated mayor's widow has distanced her husband's movement from the demonstration held on Saturday.

Demonstrators displayed banners bearing messages such as "We are all Carlos Manzo," alongside the iconic pirate flag from the Japanese manga One Piece. This flag has become a widely recognised symbol of youth protest across the world, from Madagascar and the Philippines to Peru.

The protest followed the shooting death of Bernardo Bravo, a leader of lime producers in the same region, in late October.

Earlier in the week, Sheinbaum had questioned the motivations behind the demonstration, stating at her regular morning press conference that the protest was "inorganic" and "paid for."

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