Police deny using live ammunition in Rio protest.
After images circulated online showing bullet casings displayed by protesters, the Military Police also stated that the caliber of the casings does not correspond to the ammunition used by police officers.
Rio247 – The Military Police (PM) reported, through a statement, that ten people were detained after the demonstration on Tuesday night (27), in downtown Rio. After images circulated on the internet showing bullet casings displayed by demonstrators, the PM said that it does not use lethal ammunition and denied that the caliber of the casings belongs to the police's ammunition.
The confrontation began in the early afternoon of this Tuesday. About 30 people protested against Governor Sérgio Cabral (PMDB) in front of the governor's house in Leblon, in the southern part of Rio de Janeiro. Entitled "Tram Occupies Cabral," the mobilization, led by the Association of Residents and Friends of Santa Teresa (Amaste), demanded the return of the trams to the neighborhood. This is because the government removed these vehicles from circulation after an accident two years ago that left six dead and 48 injured.
Given this scenario, the state secretary of the Civil House, Régis Fichtner, stated in an interview with the newspaper O Globo that there is a project by the city hall for the municipal executive branch to take control of the trams. However, the Municipal Secretariat of Transportation informed that, for now, there are no studies underway regarding the proposal.
During the confrontation in the South Zone, on the route between the Laranjeiras and Cosme Velho neighborhoods, a Bradesco bank branch and the revolving door of another branch, Itaú, were vandalized. Protesters also damaged a car dealership, Distac, which had two cars damaged. In addition, several bus stops were vandalized.
One of the most contentious moments occurred around 20:30 PM, near Guanabara Palace, also in Laranjeiras, when police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun guns to defuse the tense atmosphere. Enraged, the protesters threw stones and even dragged a taxi into the middle of the street, in addition to setting fire to garbage containers. Pinheiro Machado Street, in the same neighborhood, was blocked for more than two hours.