Protest at Mexico City Congress Ends in Scuffle

A demonstration by the Assembly of Neighborhoods at the Congress of Mexico City ended in shoving, near-scuffles, and smoke from extinguishers thrown by building security at the protesters. Protesters attempted to force a door and enter the local Congress to demand solutions in housing, but building security prevented their passage. The deputy's jacket was wet, apparently from liquids thrown by the protesters. He called a 30-minute recess 'until conditions are met' and necessary measures are taken to resume the debate. Protesters achieve dialogue table after attempted forced entry. After the session resumed, Sesma Suárez described the protesters' attempted forced entry into the CDMX Congress as a 'deplorable incident.' He stated that the protesters were received by three commissions, including the housing commission, to set up a dialogue table as they requested. He thanked the security staff for preventing the protesters from fully entering and announced that the Political Coordination Board would meet to review protocols for such scenarios. 'We will be calling the Political Coordination Board to review the issue of protocols from introspection. In response, the protesters forced their way in. Recordings show how protesters are stopped by security staff holding the access doors; however, outnumbering them, they persist in trying to enter. One of the videos shared on social media shows that from the inside, an unidentified woman dressed in a white blouse and jeans used a fire extinguisher to break a window at the Congress entrance and then approached the point where shoving was occurring between security and protesters. A woman was demanding access for protesters and broke one of the access door glasses with a fire extinguisher. My deepest gratitude to those who work in this building and who make it possible to care for the integrity of those of us who work here,' she commented. The Undersecretariat for Police Intelligence and Investigation of the Citizen Security Secretariat had not anticipated a demonstration by the Assembly of Neighborhoods or the arrival of another group at the capital's Congress. In response to the incident, security personnel activated tear gas against them. While protesters attempted to enter the CDMX Congress, deputies were in plenary session. They were discussing the approval of Claudia Sheinbaum's so-called 'Plan B' of electoral reform, after it was referred from the Chamber of Deputies. Jesús Sesma Suárez, president of the Mesa Directiva, asked the legislators not to leave the plenary due to the 'infiltration' of protesters. They threw bottles and exchanged insults. Moments later, a person is seen activating a fire extinguisher against those trying to enter.