Sex workers have clashed with cyclists on the streets of Mexico City after the Mayor's World Cup plans spectacularly backfired in viral videos.
World Cup Plans Backfire
Mexican authorities have inadvertently started a turf war between cyclists and sex workers on the eve of the World Cup. Football fever is rising in North America as the World Cup kicks into gear on Thursday evening with Mexico welcoming South Africa to the Estadio Azteca. With the eyes of the world descending on the country, Mayor Clara Brugada has been keen to show the capital in its best light, though some ideas have been better than others.
Purple axolotls have appeared all over the city in the form of murals. "If axolotlising means filling what was once grey with colour, transforming public spaces and guaranteeing access to services for the benefit of thousands of people, then yes, we are axolotlising the capital," she said. However, that created backlash as the purple paint job could also be dangerous when it came to traffic and pedestrian fixtures that needed to be painted in white or yellow to stand out in the dark.
In the Hidalgo metro station, plastic chandeliers have been hung from the ceiling. But it is a bike lane along the Calzada de Tlalpan that has potentially caused the most controversy. The bike lane, which travels towards the iconic Azteca, also runs through Mexico City's red light district. Sex workers have been left furious as clients can no longer pull over at the side of the road.
While cyclists have also been filming the women, leaving them feeling objectified, this has led to some clashes, with videos being shared on social media. Local news outlet Imagen Noticias said in a report on their YouTube channel: "Influencer Mauricio García reported on social media that he was attacked by a group of sex workers while riding along the Calzada de Tlalpan bike path. In the video, you can see how they intercept him to snatch his camera, and later smashed it and threw it at the victims." He reported that emergency services took up to 30 minutes to arrive and help them. Following the viralisation of the case, authorities are already investigating and have reinforced security in the area.
