RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Despite a ban by São Paulo governor João Doria, a court ruling on Monday (30) guaranteed groups in opposition to Jair Bolsonaro the right to hold a demonstration in the Anhangabaú Valley area downtown in the state capital on September 7. Supporters of the president scheduled a rally on Paulista Avenue on the same day.
The Independence Day demonstration has been viewed with reservations by authorities due to coup threats encouraged by Bolsonaro, as well as tension caused by the announced presence of plainclothes State Police officers at the protest.
In his ruling, Judge Randolfo Ferraz de Campos was adamant that “no one has the power to veto meetings.” The decision also states that the São Paulo government must guarantee the safety of protesters.
Doria’s ban was attacked by legal experts and leftist parties’ politicians, who argued that it was unconstitutional.
Both left and right-wing organizers have meetings scheduled with the State Police to discuss protocols for the demonstrations.
Despite the geographical separation, there is a risk of conflicts between antagonistic groups in subway stations and squares used as meeting points. The scenario is placing the police command and the protest’s organizers on alert.