Black Bloc members arrested for forming a criminal gang.
The group members are also accused of inciting violence; agents arrested three adults and two minors in the act, during the operation that began in the early hours of today (4), after the issuance of six search and seizure warrants.
Flávia Villela
Reporter from Agência Brasil
Rio de Janeiro – The Rio Civil Police indicted five members of the Black Bloc group for the crime of forming an armed gang and inciting violence. Agents arrested three adults and two minors in flagrante, during the operation that began in the early hours of today (4), after the issuance of six search and seizure warrants. The names of the accused were not revealed. A knife and an artifact with nails at the tip, known to the police as alligator or hedgehog, were found.
The head of the Civil Police, Marta Rocha, explained that the detainees admitted to participating in the demonstrations and that they managed the Black Bloc's social media page, where other members were called upon to manufacture ten "crocodile-shaped" devices each. "So, in reality, this instrument, typical of cargo thieves, would be multiplied. Its purpose is to injure [a person] or stop a vehicle," she commented. "The crime of armed gang activity is non-bailable. They will leave the Civil Police station under arrest," the delegate added. All the detainees belong to middle-class families.
The sixth search warrant was not executed because the homeowner is in Bolivia. One of the three adults arrested was charged with pedophilia, as adult photos and videos involving minors were found.
The delegate said that the investigation continues and is under seal. "The arrest report will be sent to the Judiciary and during the week the police will analyze the material seized today. This investigation, which today reached the administrators [of the Black Bloc page on Facebook], will have ramifications and we will continue to investigate these people," explained Martha Rocha.