Riot police in Mexico City fired teargas at teachers marching toward the Zócalo plaza just 10 days before the area is set to host the 2026 World Cup ‘Fan Fest’, according to AFP. The incident occurred on 1 June and is the second time in a week that police have clashed with teachers from the CNTE union.

Union Demands and World Cup Concerns

Filiberto Frausto. A union leader. Told AFP that the event would have to be suspended. ‘A cause like ours should be far above — it’s far more important than a little bit of distraction and fun,’ he said. Teachers are demanding salary increases and the reversal of pension laws.

Pedro Hernandez Morales, general secretary of CNTE section 9 in Mexico City, warned that if the government does not meet demands before the opening match on 11 June, ‘the ball will not roll,’ according to Al Jazeera English. Teachers began threatening to protest during the World Cup in mid-May, during a march on Teacher’s Day.

Escalating Tensions in the Zócalo

On Monday, demonstrating teachers broke through one of the metal barriers blocking the Zócalo when riot police hurled teargas at them. AFP reported that one protester was hit by an unidentified projectile and was taken away after sustaining a head injury and bleeding.

This is not the first time police have used force against teachers. On 26 May, Mexico News Daily reported that riot police blocked teachers affiliated with the Oaxaca-based section 22 of the CNTE from entering the square to set up a protest camp. ‘They repressed us, they hit us, they pushed us,’ said Francisca Pérez, a teacher from Oaxaca, to EFE news agency.

Manuel López San Martín, an Azteca News journalist, shared footage on social media showing police using fire extinguishers to disperse teachers. A joint statement from the ministry of public education and the ministry of the interior said the union had been advised that it was too dangerous to gather in the Zócalo due to ongoing construction.

Threats of Nationwide Action

The union has threatened to summon ‘millions’ of teachers to the capital during the World Cup if the government does not fulfill their demands. They could also call for a nationwide strike. The CNTE union has been a persistent force in Mexican labor movements, and its actions could significantly disrupt the high-profile World Cup events.

As tensions escalate ahead of the World Cup, the government faces the challenge of balancing public safety with the rights of protesters. The situation remains fluid, with more conflict likely as the opening match approaches on 11 June.