violent demonstrations against rising tourism in Mexico; PHOTOS: Protesters vandalise and arson, chant 'Tourists get out of Mexico'

Protests against tourism and gentrification were held in many areas of Mexico City on Friday. Protests that began peacefully in tourist areas like Condesa and Roma later turned violent. Some masked protesters looted, vandalised and set several shops on fire. The protesters also raised slogans such as "Tourists get out of Mexico", "Stop entering our homes". Check out pictures of violent protests in Mexico City... Protesters demand to regulate tourism The protesters demanded to regulate tourism in the city and tighten the rules of residence. Later, protesters gathered outside the US Embassy and raised slogans in the city's metro. Police stepped up security outside the embassy and sirens were sounded in the city as a warning. There has been a significant increase in the number of American tourists in Mexico since 2020, whose arrivals have led to a significant increase in house rents, causing locals to be evacuated from their own areas. Anti-tourism protests are also on the rise in Spain, Italy, Portugal and other European cities. On June 15, protesters in Barcelona, Spain, threw water at tourists and chanted slogans such as "Tourists go home". Barcelona will welcome about 16 million tourists in 2023, 10 times the city's population. The city plans to ban tourist apartments by 2028. In Venice, Italy, people protested against new hotels on June 18. The number of hotels here has exceeded the homes of local residents. Protests also took place in Lisbon (Portugal) and Majorca (Spain), where people are demanding control over tourism. Protesters are demanding a cap on the number of tourists, a ban on short-term rentals and affordable housing for locals. To counter this, some cities have started imposing taxes on tourists. Although tourism is a large part of Europe's economy, which accounts for 12% of GDP in Spain, opponents say the model benefits only a few people, while harming locals. Opponents do not consider tourists as enemies, but they are demanding sustainable tourism policies from governments.