Mexican president slams use of national flag in US protests as provocation

By Asiye Latife Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday criticized the use of Mexico’s national flag in violent protests in the US, calling it a “provocation” meant to harm the country’s image.

“We believe that these images of the Mexican flag in violent acts, particularly this image of a person with a Mexican flag on top of a burning police car, are a provocation,” Sheinbaum said during a press conference.

“It has all the appearance of a provocation and of (wanting) to create a (bad) image of Mexico,” she added.

Sheinbaum also denounced the recent detention of migrants in the US and said Mexico opposes the raids, but warned against responding with violence.

She said at least 61 Mexican nationals were detained in Los Angeles during recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, and that some have already been deported. She added that many did not receive due process and that Mexican consular staff were providing legal assistance.

“When you are against something, you have every right to demonstrate peacefully,” she said, urging Mexicans living in the US to avoid violent acts.

Protests erupted last week in Los Angeles after ICE agents raided local businesses and detained hundreds of individuals suspected of residing in the US without legal documentation.

During some of the demonstrations, one man was seen waving the Mexican flag in front of a burning, graffiti-covered car during clashes targeting ICE.