News - Debate in the Mexico City Congress ends in a fight and hair-pulling.

Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — An ordinary session of the Mexico City Congress on Monday turned into a melee among legislators, with shoving and hair-pulling included, as a controversial reform to local transparency laws was debated. Video footage showed opposition lawmakers from Morena climbing to the podium with signs to complain about the initiative, but gradually the tone of the debate rose and lawmakers from both the ruling party and the opposition began shouting at one another, striking one another, and pulling each other's hair right behind the speaker of the chamber, who tried — unsuccessfully — to restore calm by ringing a bell and then separating the lawmakers. Spectators and other lawmakers raised their phones to record the fight as members of rival political blocs shoved and elbowed one another. The dispute erupted during the debate on a proposal to eliminate the city's transparency agency and replace it with a new body. The clash led to the temporary suspension of the session. When the lawmakers returned, the opposition had left the chamber and the governing coalition approved the reforms in their absence. This is not the first time a parliamentary session ends in physical fights in Mexico. In August this year it happened in the Senate, this time over a dispute about limits on the right to speak.