STORY: At least two sculptures installed along Mexico City's Paseo de la Reforma avenue were damaged on Tuesday (June 2) during a protest led by teachers from the National Coordination of Education Workers (CNTE), according to images from the scene and footage shared by national media.

Images showed broken tubes, detached pieces and toppled figures along the avenue, with the Angel of Independence monument visible in the background.

Some tourists and residents expressed their disapproval of the damage during the protest.

The powerful CNTE union is holding a strike and protests in Mexico City as their latest demands have not been met. Some teachers accused authorities of trying to undermine their demands for better pay and pensions.

Teaching unions have for years held periodic protests and sit-ins that have forced street closures and caused traffic jams in Mexico City's downtown area.

Five World Cup soccer matches are due to take place in Mexico City, with others scheduled for Guadalajara and Monterrey. The United States and Canada are also co-hosts of the games.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Protesters tear down World Cup statues in Mexico City

VIDEO SHOWS: WORLD CUP STATUES ON THE GROUND AFTER BEING KNOCKED DOWN BY PROTESTERS / SOUNDBITES FROM RESIDENTS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE STORY

SHOWS: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (JUNE 2, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. WORLD CUP STATUE OF SOCCER PLAYER KNOCKED DOWN

2. BROKEN BASE OF STATUE

3. VARIOUS OF WORLD CUP STATUE OF SOCCER PLAYER KNOCKED DOWN

4. SIGN ON STATUE READING (Spanish): "Please do not climb on it, do not damage the piece"

5. SHIRT OF WORLD CUP STATUE OF SOCCER PLAYER ON GROUND

6. WORLD CUP STATUE OF SOCCER PLAYER KNOCKED DOWN

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NATIONAL TOURIST, ELIZABETH SANCHEZ, SAYING:

"How sad, this is not the way, this is not the way to protest, there are ways. What they are doing, while we want to welcome all the world's tourists and to receive them in this way, it's really a shame. We Mexicans really have other ways to respond and to achieve what we want, there are institutions, there are places, but please do not damage and harm everyone else."

8. VARIOUS OF WORLD CUP STATUE OF SOCCER PLAYER KNOCKED DOWN

9. BROKEN LEG ON WORLD CUP STATUE OF SOCCER PLAYER

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT, AZUCENA GUERRERO, SAYING:

"It's very bad, I am not telling them not to protest, but they should not cause disturbances that harm all citizens, because, for example, this does not benefit them at all, doing this type of act, and they ruin everything that was being planned."

11. BROKEN BASE OF STATUE

12. BROKEN HAND OF STATUE

13. WORLD CUP STATUE OF SOCCER PLAYER KNOCKED DOWN

14. PEOPLE WALKING NEAR BROKEN STATUES AT REFORMA AVENUE WITH ANGEL DE LA INDEPENDENCIA MONUMENT ON THE BACKGROUND