Mexico: Police fire on protest over killing of women in Cancún November 9

Event

Two journalists were wounded by bullets and two other people sustained injuries as police opened fire on protests to denounce violence against women in Cancún (Quintana Roo state) on Monday, November 9. The protests had been triggered by the murder of two women in the beach resort city over the weekend. Around 2000 demonstrators reportedly attempted to gain access to the city hall and ripped up boards meant to barricade the building. Police fired to disperse the protests and used live ammunition rather than rubber bullets. The governor of Quintana Roo state, Carlos Joaquín González, has condemned the police's actions and called for the chief of police to be suspended. The interior ministry and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador have called for a thorough investigation into the incident.

Further protests over gender-based killings and in response to the police's actions are possible in Cancún in the near term. Protests are likely to be accompanied by a heightened security presence and localized disruptions to transport.

Advice

Those in Cancún are advised to monitor the situation, anticipate localized disruptions in the vicinity of any protests, and adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities.