Pot-banging protests serve as reserves of freedom.
"Although banging pots and pans is a well-known Latin American tradition of political protest, the large demonstration on Wednesday the 18th shows that it may take on renewed importance in the coming period," writes Paulo Moreira Leite of Journalists for Democracy.
By Paulo Moreira Leite, from Journalists for Democracy
To escape a contamination that could cost thousands of lives, Brazilians have been urged to remain confined to their own homes. They should not go out on the street and should avoid any gathering of people.
There is no doubt that the confiscation has a legitimate reason. It is the last resort to protect the right to life of the population of a country where the SUS (Brazilian public healthcare system) was intentionally dismantled by the Temer and Bolsonaro governments, and today does not have the technically available resources to protect its own health.
The pot-banging protest on Wednesday, which continued with lively demonstrations on Thursday night and will possibly include other protests in the coming days, shows that, even in a difficult situation, the population does not give up its right to express itself and make demands.
This is very good -- particularly when one recalls the authoritarian tendencies of Jair Bolsonaro and Bolsonarism, the target of unforgettable moments of repudiation and humor from citizens with pots and pans in their hands.
In the event of potential threats to constitutional rights, banging pots and pans is a form of collective action, allowing a group of people to express their views on the direction things are taking in the country -- with guaranteed repercussions when they manage to connect with social networks capable of multiplying their audience thousands of times.
In a context of citizens forcibly fragmented, pot-banging protests serve as an alternative for those who refuse to give up their own voice – a particularly valuable concern in a period in which the collapse of healthcare combines with an already looming recession and constant pressure against democracy.
In this situation, during turbulent times like the present, banging pots and pans can fulfill an irreplaceable role in safeguarding freedom of expression, a function comparable to street theater, murals, and other forms of political protest typical of times of resistance.
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* This is an opinion article, the responsibility of the author, and does not reflect the opinion of Brasil 247.