Right to protest: arbitrary repression in São Paulo

São Paulo military police behaves in a truculent manner in a protest against an increase in public transport fares

Photo: Taba Benedito

The protest against the increase in public transport fares on Wednesday 16 January in São Paulo, was the target of military police repression before it had even started and it showed no signs of any disturbance that could have justified the use of force.

The presence of police designated for mediation has been depleted. The police acted blatantly, surrounding the protest as it was getting underway and hindering the movement of the people who wished to exercise their legitimate right to protest.

Rubber bullets were used at point blank range, in contravention of all international security norms for the use of weapons, and ‘moral effect’ grenades were thrown into a group of journalists who were trying to follow the protest.

The state government has vetoed a bill approved by the Legislative Assembly that limited the use of non-lethal weapons at protests and has ordered the president of the São Paulo court of justice to suspend a court ruling that determined the publication of rules on behaviour based on international guidelines regulating police activity at protests.

The repression of journalistic coverage, that led to Daniel Arroyo being seriously wounded by a rubber bullet, directly opposes São Paulo Public Prosecution recommendations for the military police and their activities at protests with regards to those working for the media.

Conectas is calling for the new São Paulo government to respect the right to protest, to investigate abuses committed and to make those responsible accountable. It is also calling for the new government to adopt operational guidelines for protests, in line with the international norms that regulate the use of necessary force.