20/11 • GEN Z PROTESTS

In Mexico, the assassination of Uruapan mayor Carlos Manzo in early November sparked a massive wave of protests. Led largely by Gen Z activists, youth across the country have flooded city squares with banners, chants, and a clear demand for justice, security and accountability in a political system long plagued by corruption and violence. 

These protests are the latest in a series of worldwide Gen Z related activism.

In Peru, young protesters have reignited calls for political reform after years of instability. In Kenya, students have led mass demonstrations over police violence and economic inequality. In Nepal, youth are at the forefront of climate strikes and anti-corruption rallies. In Serbia, the collapse a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad railway station collapsed and killed 16 people, triggering a wave of spontaneous protests against corruption, negligence and the arrogance of power.

Many of these movements are spontaneous and leaderless, spreading rapidly through TikTok, WhatsApp, Discord and X. Protest art, street performances, and digital campaigns are tools of choice. The protests are often met with harsh crackdowns: curfews, internet shutdowns, arrests, and even live ammunition.

These movements aren't together by a single ideology,  but rather, the common shared urgency of a generation forced to confront climate change, economic exclusion, democratic erosion, and the trauma of post-pandemic life.

Some leaders dismiss these protests as naïve or manipulated. But for many young people, protest has become the only viable means of political expression.