Protests in Mexico city over an increase in tourists and so-called ‘digital nomads’ spurred backlash in the United States after the protests turned confrontational and violent, with small groups of protesters smashing storefronts and harassing Americans.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, a significant number of remote workers looking for cheaper rent and costs of living have flocked to destinations such as Mexico City, with locals calling them ‘digital nomads’.

The number of Americans in Mexico surged 70% from 2019 to 2022, with a total of 1.6 million Americans now living in Mexico, according to the State Department.

“There are a lot of foreigners, namely Americans, coming to live here. Many say it’s xenophobia, but it’s not,” local college student Michelle Castro told AP.

She added, “It’s just that so many foreigners come here [and] rents are skyrocketing because of Airbnb. Rents are so high that some people can’t even pay anymore.” (RELATED: Milwaukee Police Slayer Had History of Violence)

While some protesters claim the demonstration wasn’t xenophobic, the protest turned violent and confrontational after protesters began smashing storefronts and hurling epithets at Americans in Mexico City, with some demonstrators demanding Americans to leave and saying that ‘gringos’ should be killed.

The protests were not well received by many Americans, with prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk alleging hypocrisy against the demonstrators and saying that Americans have been facing similar issues for decades. (RELATED: Republican Budget Plan Hike Property Taxes for Wisconsin Homeowners)

Similar protests have been held across the country in popular tourist destinations in Spain and Italy. In Barcelona, Spanish protesters sprayed tourists with water guns due to rising frustrations regarding overtourism and rising housing costs due to short-term rentals crowding out longtime residents.