Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Rio de Janeiro this past weekend to demonstrate against President Jair Bolsonaro, his corona approach, and police violence against black Brazilians in poor neighborhoods. The protesters massively called “I can’t breathe!”, The statement of the American black man who was killed a week ago by police brutality.
George Floyd was arrested in Minneapolis for a minor offense after which a white cop sat on his throat for nine minutes. The man stated several times that he was unable to breathe and eventually died. His death sparked a wave of demonstrations in the U.S, but also in Europe.
In Brazil, a similar incident occurred in mid-May when a 14-year-old black boy was killed in a favela during a Federal Police action. The teenager was at home when the police raided for drugs. He was shot almost immediately.
The aggression with the Brazilian police has been under discussion for years. In Rio de Janeiro, more than 1,500 people died in 2019 from violent actions by agents, especially in the poor areas of the city. In April, officers killed a total of 177 residents of the city.
Protesters carried plates with them Black lives matter
The demonstrators carried signs with the text Black lives matter, the movement that started in the US six years ago after a previous incident involving a black man who died while being arrested by a white officer.
In addition to police brutality, protesters also carried signs against Bolsonaro, his alleged corruption under investigation and his erratic corona policy. Like US President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro has also downplayed the pandemic for a long time. He also does not feel it necessary for his citizens to keep their distance or to wear mouth towels.
Bolsonaro supported the opposing demonstrators on horseback
The military police intervened hard on Sunday at the demonstration by shooting rubber bullets. President Jair Bolsonaro also appeared on a police horse to greet the officers and a group of counter-protesters who expressed their support for the president. His supporters demand that the President intervene militarily with the Supreme Court, which recently decided that the investigation of corruption may continue.
Brazil passed France this weekend when it comes to the number of corona deaths. With nearly 30,000 deaths from the virus, Brazil is now in fifth place among the worst affected countries. The US is still in first place with over 100,000 confirmed deaths.
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