Police surround the city hall and the group promises to advance.

Bahia 247

Despite the still timid presence of protesters on the streets of Salvador this afternoon in the march that goes from Campo Grande to Praça Municipal, where the City Hall is located, there is an expectation that tensions will rise again.

The Military Police are tasked with preventing the Free Fare Movement protesters from reaching the Thomé de Souza Palace, the seat of the City Hall. The group, in turn, affirms that it will not back down from the objective of today's demonstration, which is to deliver a letter outlining their demands, consisting of 21 items.

However, PM Colonel Sergio Baqueiro states that the intention is not to prevent access to Mayor ACM Neto (DEM), but that the reason for isolating the Municipal Square is due to the structure set up for the June festivities.

Valter Altino, one of the movement's leaders, declared, in turn, that this is not the truth and that the protesters already knew of the corporation's intention. "We will not accept not being able to proceed peacefully to the square." According to Altino, the intention is to form a human chain to march to the city hall.

Few people

The Military Police estimate that there are fewer than a thousand people at the event so far. In an interview with the Bahia Notícias website, Bruno Oliveira, a member of the Free Fare Movement, suggested that the rain and the fact that the event was taking place on a weekday may have contributed to the low turnout.

According to him, the group's legal committee has already delivered the letter with 21 demands to the Thomé de Souza Palace. "We will only make a symbolic delivery," Bruno pointed out, reiterating that the MPL "demands" a meeting with Mayor ACM Neto (DEM).