Mexico City police used tear gas to stop protesting teachers from reaching the Zócalo, where a Fan Fest for the 2026 World Cup is being built. The clash began after protesters broke through temporary metal barriers a block from the Government Palace and the screen set for Mexico's June 11 opener. Union leader Filiberto Frausto said the event could be suspended, and a CNTE dissident faction warned it might mobilize "millions" if demands for pay raises and pension reversals are not met. One demonstrator was reported with a bleeding head wound after being struck by an unidentified projectile.
Mexico City Deploys Tear Gas as Teachers Clash Near World Cup Fan Fest
Teachers push against a metal barricade blocking access to the Zocalo in Mexico City during a demonstration ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 (Alfredo ESTRELLA)(Alfredo ESTRELLA/AFP/AFP)
Mexico City police fired tear gas to disperse protesting teachers who attempted to reach the Zócalo, the capital's main square, where a Fan Fest for the 2026 World Cup is under construction, according to AFP reporters.
The confrontation began when members of a dissident faction of the teachers' union forced their way through temporary metal barriers at an entrance to the Zócalo, a block from the Government Palace and in front of a giant screen that will show Mexico's opening World Cup match on June 11.
Hundreds of riot police were deployed, positioned behind tall temporary barricades erected around the site. Authorities said the measures were intended to protect the Fan Fest construction area and the public gathering planned there.
Union Response and Threats of Wider Action
Union leader Filiberto Frausto said the planned event could be suspended.
"A cause like ours should be far above — it's far more important than a little bit of distraction and fun," he told AFP.
The march was organized by a dissident wing of the teachers' union, the CNTE, which has demanded salary increases and the reversal of recent pension-law changes. The group warned it could mobilize "millions" of teachers to the capital during the World Cup if the government does not meet their demands.
Injuries and Aftermath
One demonstrator reported being struck by an unidentified projectile and was carried away with a bleeding head wound. Local media and AFP journalists on the scene reported the injury; official details about the projectile or any arrests were not immediately available.
The clashes raised concerns about whether the Fan Fest activities scheduled around Mexico's June 11 match would proceed as planned and highlighted tensions between dissident union factions and authorities in the run-up to a major international event.
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