10-Year Old Injured by Rubber Bullet During Olympic Torch Parade in Rio
The Olympic torch was assailed by protesters as it made its way through Duque de Caxias, a city in the metropolitan region of Rio, this Wednesday (3).
While attempting to disrupt the parade, protesters clashed with police. In the ensuing confusion, a 10-year old was injured by a rubber bullet.
While passing through a main road in the city, military police was attacked with stones. The police retaliated with rubber bullets and pepper spray. A young girl of 10 was shot in her right leg.
The child was taken to the Moacir Rodrigues do Carmo hospital, and released soon after she was treated there.
A video circulating on social media shows another youth running, with a limp, near the military police. Witnesses say that he received a blow from a police baton, but the military police is still to confirm this information.
By Tuesday (2), Rio's military police and the IOC had received knowledge that there would likely be protests in Duque de Caxias. According to the police, the protesters were probably state-educated students and state-employed teachers from the area.
In spite of the momentary bedlam, the torch relay continued through other cities in the region. This Thursday (4), the flame arrives in the city of Rio.
The Olympic symbol will carry on its journey through 27 of the Rio's neighbourhoods, passing through the hands of more than 600 people, before arriving at its final destination, the Maracanã stadium, for the opening ceremony.
Before arriving in Rio, the torch parade passed through 324 cities across all Brazil's states.
Translated by GILLIAN SOPHIE HARRIS