(MENAFN) At least 18 individuals were taken into custody after a massive protest erupted in Mexico City over the weekend against President Claudia Sheinbaum’s handling of violent crime, the Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Monday.

Speaking at a press briefing, Mexico City chief prosecutor Bertha Alcalde Lujan said those detained face charges following confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement.

The accusations range from damage to private property to assault and attempted murder.

“They opened several investigation files based on complaints for the crimes of assault, theft and damage to property as well as referrals made by elements of the Secretariat of Citizen Security. All of the people detained were given medical evaluations, had contact with their families and have accredited legal defense,” said Alcalde Lujan.

Among those arrested, three are being investigated for attempted murder, five for resisting arrest, two for robbery and assault, and eight for battery and assault.

On Saturday, thousands marched through the capital’s historic Zocalo to protest the country’s rising insecurity, largely attributed to drug cartels and the current administration.

While organizers and supporters estimated attendance in the hundreds of thousands, the Mexico City government recorded roughly 17,000 participants.

The demonstration quickly drew global attention as videos of violent clashes between police and protesters circulated widely on social media and in local news outlets.

While some criticized the police response, authorities also documented attacks by protesters. Officials reported 84 assaults against officers and four attacks on civilians.

During her daily briefing, President Sheinbaum condemned the violence and blamed a specific faction within the protest.

“A very violent group that arrived at the city’s main square, very violent. Some dressed in black, others not. Some with their faces covered, others not. Most were not young people from this violent group that arrived,” she said.

The human rights organization Article 19 documented at least 13 incidents of repression and violence targeting journalists during the protests in Mexico City and similar demonstrations in other states.

“ARTICLE 19 is documenting at least 13 attacks against the press, caused both by participants in the demonstration and by police in the context of Saturday’s protests,” the group posted on X.

The watchdog recorded six attacks in Mexico City, six in Michoacan, and one in Jalisco.

President Sheinbaum also addressed assaults on journalists, emphasizing accountability.

“Our solidarity also goes to the reporters, to the journalists who were beaten. And if it was police who beat them, there must be sanctions,” she added.

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