Misinformation Distorts Events at Mexico’s ‘Gen Z’ Protests

Over the weekend, Mexico witnessed a wave of anti-corruption and anti-crime demonstrations, reportedly led by ‘Gen Z’, similar to those that had previously occurred in Nepal, Kenya, Morocco, and other countries over the past few months.

The protests in Mexico were accompanied by a wave of misinformation aimed at exaggerating their impact, inflating the number of participants, and misrepresenting the authorities' response.

Misbar’s team reviewed and fact-checked some of the most prominent posts circulating about the Mexico protests.

Footage Falsely Claimed as Recent Mexico Protests

A drone video circulated online, purportedly showing a protest in Mexico City and claiming that over one million people had participated.

Some users further alleged that the government had “cut off cell phone signals, blocked the internet, and shot down drones,” suggesting that the footage was captured by one of the drones that supposedly “escaped the attacks.”

Misbar’s team found that the video is outdated. It was first posted on TikTok by @irvingvibesdrone on October 19, 2025, and actually shows an annual event in Mexico City known as the “Zombie March.”

In addition, no credible media outlet has reported that the Mexican government cut cell phone service, blocked internet access, or shot down drones. In fact, videos from the protests continued to be uploaded online throughout the events.

Viral Photo Shows 2022 Mexico City Protest

Another photo was spread by social media users and some local news outlets, allegedly showing demonstrations in Mexico City.

The photo actually dates back to November 27, 2022, and was first posted by @heraldodemexico.

It shows a protest organized in support of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, celebrating the fourth anniversary of his government’s “Fourth Transformation.” Notably, the current Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, was present at the march.

Viral Photo Falsely Shows Sniper at Mexico’s Presidential Palace

Another photo has circulated online, claiming to show a sniper on top of a presidential or government palace where demonstrations took place. Some users implied that political authorities deploy snipers on buildings to suppress protests.

However, the photo actually dates back to March 8, 2021, and was previously misinterpreted as showing a sniper on the presidential palace during the March 8M events commemorating International Women’s Day. During that protest, some barriers in front of the National Palace, referred to as the “Wall of Peace,” were torn down by demonstrators.

The local news outlet El Universal explained, after consulting the spokesperson for the Presidency, Jesús Ramírez, that the device in the photo is actually an anti-drone device. The spokesperson later clarified in a tweet that the personnel shown in the photo were security staff using a Hikvision drone jammer to prevent flights over the palace, as it is a restricted security area.

False Claims About Protesters Breaching Mexico’s Presidential Palace

Several posts on social media claimed that protesters had breached the presidential palace during the demonstrations. Users shared a video allegedly showing Gen Z protesters in Mexico breaching the presidential palace less than 24 hours into the protests, claiming that police had been overwhelmed by the sheer number of demonstrators and had eventually retreated.

Misbar investigated the footage and found that the palace the protesters allegedly breached is actually the Palacio de Gobierno de Jalisco, a government building in Guadalajara, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. The palace shown in the video does not resemble the architecture of Mexico’s presidential palace, known as the National Palace, which is located on Mexico City’s main square, the Plaza de la Constitución (El Zócalo).

The difference is especially clear when comparing the gates: the gate in the video features black lamps on either side, which do not match the entrance of the National Palace.

Further investigation revealed that the gate shown in the video is identical to that of the governmental palace in Guadalajara.

All the black lamps, brown gate, and windows match exactly between the video and photos of the governmental palace on Google Maps, confirming that the footage is from the Palacio de Gobierno de Jalisco in Guadalajara, not the National Palace in Mexico City.

Was Mexico City’s National Palace Actually Overrun by Protesters?

Another prominent video circulated online claimed that crowds had taken control of the Mexican presidential palace. It was shared by @JimFergusonUK, who wrote: “THE NATIONAL PALACE HAS FALLEN.”

The post, which reached almost 4 million people, added: “This is not a protest. This is a national eruption — the kind that signals something far deeper boiling beneath the surface.”

Although the video does show clashes between protesters and police around the presidential palace this time, some scenes of the crowds were used to create the false impression that demonstrators had actually entered the palace.

Misbar conducted thorough research and found that no credible media outlet reported that the protesters had overrun or entered the presidential palace.

On the contrary, all reliable news sources agreed that there were clashes with security forces, that some barriers were breached by protesters, and that there were injuries on both sides, although the number of casualties varied between outlets.

Sheinbaum Blames Opposition for Promoting ‘Gen Z’ Protest in Mexico City

The protests were reportedly called for by a group named “Generation Z Mexico,” which describes itself as a “non-partisan movement representing Mexican youth fed up with violence, corruption, and abuse of power.”

However, in her daily briefing on Monday, November 17, President Claudia Sheinbaum blamed opposition parties for promoting the “Gen Z” protest with an estimated 90 million pesos.

She explained that, last Thursday, the government’s fake-news debunker-in-chief, Miguel Ángel Elorza Vásquez, presented a detailed overview of how Saturday’s protests were amplified on social media.

According to Sheinbaum, the opposition parties “promoted the idea that young people were organically calling for this march called the ‘Generation Z’ march. But here it was shown how there was a push of about 90 million pesos (4.9 million dollars) promoting this protest from the opposition, on one hand, and with the support of a businessman.”

She added that the promotion of the protests was financed by foreign right-wing organizations and individuals in collaboration with Mexican figures such as Salinas and others affiliated with opposition parties.

Clashes Between Police and Civilians Leave 120 Injured in Mexico

Thousands marched in Mexico City on Saturday, November 15, to protest crime and corruption, following the fatal shooting of popular Michoacán mayor Carlos Manzo on November 1.

According to local reports, protests took place in 50 cities across 30 states.

In Mexico City, around 9,000 people participated, according to local reports.

The demonstration began peacefully at the Angel of Independence, but when it reached the capital's Zócalo, near the National Palace, a group identified as the “black bloc” broke through demonstrators and attacked the protective fences with hammers and stones, according to the Secretary for Citizen Security of Mexico City, Pablo Vázquez.

The fences were eventually knocked down, provoking clashes with police, who responded with tear gas and fire extinguishers. The confrontation resulted in 100 police officers and 20 civilians injured.

In Guadalajara, approximately 20,000 people joined the march that began at the Roundabout of the Disappeared and ended at the Jalisco State Government House, according to Civil Protection data.

Later, a group of protesters managed to enter both the Government Palace and the State Congress, where they broke the doors of the buildings and threw stones at the windows.

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