Mexican president defends 10-foot barriers to wall off women protesters

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said a metallic barrier to wall off the presidential palace ahead of a planned women's march on International Women's Day was to avoid provocation and protect historic buildings. In a country where femicides rose nearly 130% between 2015 and 2020, critics said the decision to erect the 3-metre barriers was symptomatic of Lopez Obrador's apathy toward the crisis of violence afflicting women.