During a protest in downtown Mérida, a driver tried to run over teachers in Mérida by accelerating into a group of educators, prompting a police officer to intervene and protect the protesters.
On Tuesday morning, May 27, a driver in downtown Mérida sped his vehicle into a group of teachers who were staging a protest, in what local officials described as a deliberate attempt to force the demonstrators off the street.
A crowd of roughly one thousand educators had gathered outside the Palacio de Gobierno in Mérida’s historic center to demand higher salaries and improved benefits. They blocked major routes at the intersections of Calle 60 with Calle 61 and Calle 60 with Calle 59, carrying banners and chanting slogans calling on state officials to address their pay and working conditions. The walkout has left at least 20,000 students without classes this week as part of a coordinated action across the state by the Yucatán teachers’ union.
The teachers arrived at the corner of Calle 60 and Calle 59 shortly before 10 a.m. Their demonstration began peacefully, with participants holding signs and forming a human barrier across the roadway. They planned to maintain the blockade until the governor agreed to meet their representatives and discuss their demands.
Within minutes of the protest’s start, a sedan approached at high speed. The driver accelerated directly toward the group. Teachers reacted by jumping onto the hood and windshield, grasping the vehicle to halt its forward motion and protect their colleagues.
One witness described a chaotic scene as the car lurched forward. “He tried to force his way through, ramming the vehicle against the protesters,” the witness said. “It happened so fast that many of us feared someone would get seriously hurt”.
A Municipal Police officer intervened within seconds. He stepped between the car and the teachers, ordered the driver to stop the engine and called for backup to secure the intersection.
Despite the aggressive move, no one suffered injuries. The vehicle’s front grille and windshield bore cracks from the protesters’ efforts to stop the car, but all involved walked away shaken and unharmed.
Meanwhile, the driver looked for a way around the blockade as officers guarded the intersection. He remained at the scene under police watch while additional units managed traffic and ensured no further confrontations.
After the scuffle, teachers reestablished their roadblock at the same corner and continued chanting their demands. Traffic on Calle 60 stayed at a standstill for nearly an hour, forcing commuters to reroute through adjacent streets.
This episode underscores rising tension in Mérida between protesters and motorists. Recent teacher actions across Yucatán have disrupted classes and traffic, prompting calls for clearer protocols to protect peaceful demonstrations while maintaining public safety.
As the protest moves forward, both union leaders and city officials face pressure to find common ground. Teachers remain at the corner of Calle 60 and Calle 59, and commuters are watching to see if dialogue with state authorities will end the standoff without further incidents.
