Protesters Throw Molotov Cocktails at U.S. Embassy in Mexico City

A group of approximately 100 protesters threw Molotov cocktails at the U.S. Embassy compound in Mexico. The group appeared to be in support of Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests taking place in various cities in the United States.

Since noon on Friday, a group of approximately 100 protesters gathered in downtown Mexico City near Paseo Reforma, near the U.S. Embassy to take part in a BLM protest. According to El Sol De Mexico, the protesters were members of Antifa and were wearing all black. The protests quickly turned into acts of vandalism. The level of violence increased and eventually escalated into throwing Molotov cocktails at the U.S. Embassy compound.

Grupos de anarquistas lanzan bombas molotov y vandalizan la sede de la Embajada de Estados Unidos en la #CDMX, como parte de las protestas pro #GeorgeFloyd. pic.twitter.com/LsaF9LUST0

— Agencia de Noticias (@ADNInforma) June 5, 2020

In a second protest in the Polanco neighborhood, a group of protesters began to vandalize stores and clashed with police forces who were unsuccessful in slowing them down.

Prior to the protests, Mexico City’s Head of Government Claudia Sheinbaum took to social media to claim that she had disbanded the city’s riot squad (granaderos) because “the police were not a force for repression.”

Reafirmo lo que ha sido nuestra posición toda la vida. La policía no está para reprimir al pueblo sino para darle paz y seguridad. Por ello desaparecimos el cuerpo de granaderos. La lucha por la defensa de los derechos humanos no para. El abuso de autoridad no debe tolerarse.

— Claudia Sheinbaum (@Claudiashein) June 5, 2020

The ongoing protests and the potential for more violence prompted the U.S. Department of State to issue a security alert warning traveler to avoid the area.

“Maintain a high level of vigilance, take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security, and follow the instructions of local authorities.”

Demonstration Alert – Mexico City
Demonstrations are expected to take place on June 5, 2020, beginning at 12:00 p.m. (noon), to protest current events in the United States. https://t.co/OwuDgQ8HQv

— Embajada EU en Mex (@USEmbassyMEX) June 5, 2020

The riots in Mexico City come just one day after protesters in the western state of Jalisco set fire to a police officer, Breitbart Texas reported. The riots in Jalisco were over the arrest and beating death in May of a day laborer allegedly at the hands of police for not wearing a coronavirus facemask. During the protests in Jalisco, rioters set fire to police vehicles and spray-painted various government buildings.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.     

Tony Aranda from Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project contributed to this report