In Maré, one of Rio’s most frequently abused and ‘pacified’ slums, massive demonstrations against police murder and brutality have been raging. Maré has been occupied by national forces since the World Cup, and residents have risen up against the police state in great numbers following the deaths of several victims, including a young boy. Their protests have been met with brutality, tear gas, and live gunfire (the biggest difference between protests downtown, and protests in the favelas, is that instead of rubber bullets the authorities use live ammunition).
Coletivo Mariachi reported:
A protest claiming for life and peace was violently stopped due to the attacks by the Security Forces, in this case, the Military Police (Riot divisions) and the Army. The Maré Favela Complex, located at Northern Rio de Janeiro, is an area occupied by the Brazilian Army. Locals and human rights groups denounced abuses, but the situation deepens in chaos, and the population feels threatened. Yesterday, February 23, 2015, the population organized a protest asking for peace. Unfortunately, the demonstration turned into a war zone. The Coletivo Mariachi and Mídia Independente Coletiva (MIC) were there, showing the turmoil from a different perspective, when compared to the corporation media. Translation: Gustavo Dopcke
The police claim that they were in armed clashes with drug dealers, but videos tell a different story. A peaceful protest was met with pepper spray, and eventually live rounds. This enraged the crowd, who took to the streets in large numbers.
The police fired teargas and pepper bombs at the protest, and people responded by throwing bottles and fireworks. Eventually, the police could not contain the massive demonstration and had to retreat. Soon after, a member of the MP fired shots randomly into the crowd, hitting at least one person. During these clashes, two residents died and three MP’s were wounded.
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