MST invades radio station in the interior of Sergipe

Gabriel Damásio, from Jornal do Dia - Around 200 members of the MST (Landless Rural Workers Movement) invaded the Xodó FM radio station building in Nossa Senhora da Glória (Sertão region) at approximately 12:30 pm yesterday. They knocked down the station's gate and interrupted a news program presented by radio host Anselmo Tavares. For about three hours, they made several graffiti markings on the premises and spoke out against the broadcaster, whom they accuse of denigrating the image of social movements. The group left after negotiations between the protesters and soldiers from the Military Police and the National Security Force.

According to radio broadcaster Wilame Lima, who also works at the station, the landless workers arrived at the location in buses and trucks that gathered at a housing complex in the city. They then positioned themselves in front of the building's gate with a sound truck and began a protest, demanding airtime on Anselmo's program. Security guards and radio station employees closed the gates and called the police to try to prevent a possible invasion, but the protesters managed to knock them down, forcing their way through and gaining access to the studios, which are located on the first floor. A receptionist suffered a nervous breakdown, fainted, and was given medical assistance.

Tavares was resuming the program after the commercial break when the MST group arrived. "They simply snatched the microphone from my hand and started talking, preventing me from continuing the program," described the radio host, who claims to have been threatened with violence. "Now you don't say anything anymore, we're the ones who speak, and if you speak we'll break everything," one of the protesters allegedly told Anselmo. Afterwards, they gave speeches in defense of the MST and criticized Anselmo's work at the station itself. They even displayed banners opposing comments he had made on air. "Anselmo Tavares, we are not 'gangs'. We are responsible for food production in Sergipe," one of them read.

According to the landless movement, the radio host has been daily offending the movement and the politicians who support it, such as PT (Workers' Party) deputies João Daniel and Rogério Carvalho. They also complain that they made several attempts to speak on Anselmo's program and refute the accusations, including in court, but all of them were denied. "There is a great deal of discontent with the way social movements are treated by this reporter. He constantly calls us thieves, corrupt, bandits, criminals, dogs... he does low-level work that denigrates the work of the press itself, which has always respected me," justified João Daniel hours later, while guaranteeing that he was unaware of the radio station invasion but that he supported the protesters.

Anselmo refuted the accusations. He said he only makes denunciations and criticisms of the actions of the congressman and his group, which he considers harmful to the population of the region. His colleague Wilame, in turn, assures that the MST (Landless Workers' Movement) was not even mentioned in the radio host's criticisms. Both consider the attitude to be a planned retaliation by Daniel and affirm that he was mentioned throughout by members of the movement. "I defend the landless, I have always supported their struggle. It wasn't the landless who were at the radio station today. It was a group of thugs and troublemakers orchestrated by João Daniel. And they came prepared to destroy everything. They vandalized, broke things, took cell phones...", accuses Anselmo.

During the protesters' presence at Xodó radio station, several soldiers from the 4th Battalion of the Military Police (4th BPM), the Caatinga Police Platoon (Pepac), and the National Force – who are in Glória to reinforce security at the local prison – were deployed. They entered the radio station, but only spoke with the protesters and observed the demonstration. There was no confrontation, but the landless workers left several graffiti messages with slogans and phrases such as "Anselmo Tavares, the communications gunman" and "Anselmo, you can wait. Your time will come." A police report was filed by the radio station's management at the Glória Regional Police Station, and some employees gave statements yesterday afternoon.

Exchange of accusations - In the late afternoon, Anselmo and João Daniel exchanged accusations in an interview with Ilha FM. The radio host accused the congressman of being responsible for the invasion and the threats. "And you can record this: if they kill me or if something bad happens to me, it will be the responsibility of Rogério Carvalho, João Daniel, and the mayor of Poço Redondo, Roberto Araújo. They are the ones behind this," said Anselmo.

The Workers' Party member, in turn, denied the threats, but stated that the protests against Xodó FM will continue and that he insists on being present at them. "I can't wait for everyone to be humiliated and degraded. I can't wait for the justice system to resolve this, as there are already at least five requests for the right of reply. This is the first of many to come. The project to democratize the media began today. Xodó will learn what a protest is," Daniel retorted.