Teachers stand near a barricade blocking access to the Zocalo as blue smoke from a fire extinguisher discharged by police rises from the other side during a demonstration ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, in Mexico City on June 1, 2026. (Photo by Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP)
June 1, 2026
Mexican police tear-gas teachers’ protest 10 days before World Cup
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Mexico City police hurled teargas at protesting teachers to keep them from reaching the historic square where the “Fan fest” for the 2026 World Cup is under construction, according to AFP journalists.
The clash started when teachers broke through one of metal barriers that have been set up at the entrance to the Zocalo plaza, a block away from the government palace and a giant screen where fans will watch Mexico’s first World Cup game on June 11.
