Peaceful Protests Take Place Sunday in São Paulo and Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO – Protests took place across Brazil on Sunday, June 7th, with anti-racist agendas and demonstrators against and in favor of President Jair Bolsonaro. Protesters took to the streets of cities such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, and Belo Horizonte in the afternoon. Earlier in the morning, protests also took place in Brasília.

Statements such as “Black Lives Matter”, prompted by anti-racist protests in the United States, were also the topic of demonstrations, in addition to the defense of democracy. Among the demonstrations were criticisms of the Bolsonaro government’s actions, particularly with regard to the federal government’s efforts to tackle the novel coronavirus pandemic.

In Rio, over 200 people gathered in the city center. There were two distinct protests entitled “Black Lives Matter” and “Soccer Fans Against Racism and for Bolsonaro’s Downfall”.

The demonstrators carried banners calling for justice for the death of city councilor Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes in 2018. The rally also protested against the deaths of minors by police officers, such as Ágatha Félix last year; João Pedro, killed this year; Marcos Vinícius, in 2018; and Maria Eduarda, in 2019.

One of the organizers, Gabriel Murga, said the police were searching participants, but the atmosphere was peaceful. Earlier, the state police detained a group of about 15 demonstrators near the location where the march against racism would take place, but according to Murga, the people arrested were not linked to the movement.

Pro-Bolsonaro demonstrators, who gathered along a separate sidewalk, attempted to get closer to the movement but were stopped by the state police. The demonstrators in favor of the president shouted slogans against “communism,” carried banners against the Supreme Court, and shouted against Governor Wilson Witzel, who disassociated himself politically from the Bolsonaro regime.

Rallies in São Paulo

In São Paulo, demonstrators against President Jair Bolsonaro’s government gathered in Largo da Batata, in the Pinheiros region. There were approximately 3,000 people in the area, according to the São Paulo State Police, and the rally reached Faria Lima Avenue.

The demonstration was stopped, but around 4 PM, part of the demonstrators decided to walk. Just before 6 PM, they stopped at points on Pinheiros street, and the State Police prevented the rally from proceeding to Paulista Avenue. The police said that the rally had not been authorized to walk and that it was supposed to be stationary in Largo da Batata.

The rally was initially scheduled to take place on Paulista Avenue, but a court order banned demonstrations against and in favor of the President from taking place simultaneously in the same location. Thus, the demonstration against Bolsonaro was transferred to Largo da Batata.

As was the case last weekend, there were a number of soccer fans’ representatives gathered at the protest in São Paulo. Last Sunday, led by Gaviões da Fiel, one of Corinthians’ organized fan groups, demonstrators took to the streets in defense of democracy, including representatives of other soccer fan groups.

Last weekend, the rally on Paulista Avenue, which began peacefully, ended with police shooting tear gas at anti-Bolsonaro demonstrators. Protesters in favor of the President were also in the area, which added to the commotion. On Sunday, June 7th, Paulista Avenue was restricted to pro-Bolsonaro actions. In the afternoon, there were a few dozen protesters.

This weekend’s protests divided the opposition to President Jair Bolsonaro. Part of the opposition protested against the rallies, claiming that they should not take place to avoid crowds due to the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus and fearing further clashes with the police.

Demonstrators also distributed masks and hand sanitizer to demonstrators. According to the organizers, the aim was to reduce the risks of contagion.

Demonstrations were also recorded this Sunday in cities like Porto Alegre, Goiânia, and Belo Horizonte, which gathered a few hundred people.

In Belém, Pará, the Brazilian office of Amnesty International wrote on its Twitter that over 60 black youths were arrested on their way to the demonstration in the city. Ultimately, the protest in Belém did not take place. The police justified the arrests, according to Amnesty International, because protesters were “breaching the social isolation rules”. Pará has already relaxed the isolation rules, authorizing the partial opening of stores and shopping malls.

Source: Exame