More than 2,800 Brazilians Protest in Europe and North America Against Price Hikes

06/17/2013 - 08h14

Brazilians throughout the world have mobilized in solidarity with the protests against the price increases of bus, metro and train in several Brazilian cities. On Sunday afternoon, more than 2600 Brazilians demonstrated in Dublin (Ireland), Berlin (Germany), New York (UEA) and Montreal (Canada).

In São Paulo, the MPL, Movimento Passe Livre (Free Fare Movement) will once more take to the streets, with a march scheduled to take place on Monday at Largo da Batata, in Pinheiros.

On Sunday afternoon, the Secretary of Public Security for São Paulo State, Fernando Grella Vieira, invited representatives from the MPL for a meeting at 10am on Monday. As a result, the MPL decided to bring forward a press conference - originally scheduled for the same time - in order to attend the meeting with Vieira.

Joana Cunha/Folhapress

Brazilians throughout the world have mobilized in solidarity with the protests against the price increases of bus

In Dublin, nearly 2000 people gathered for a protest which began around 1pm local time and continued until 4:30pm. The demonstration took place in O'Connell Street, in the city centre. The street is Dublin's main thoroughfare and is home to the Spire, a needle-shaped monument which is one of the city's most famous landmarks.

The numbers are from the local police, who monitored the event, which was organised by a group called Brazil Awakening Dublin. According to the group, the police insisted the demonstration be limited to one area, in order to avoid disruption to traffic.

Brazilians in the United States faced difficulties when trying to stage an event in New York's Central Park. Nearly 100 demonstrators, most of them students around 20 years of age, gathered in the park with banners. However, the demonstration had to be rescheduled as the organizers had not obtained the requisite permission from the police.

'We imagined it would just be a gathering of a few friends, but it began to receive a lot of attention on Facebook. When more than 1000 confirmed, we sought permission from the police, but they said we needed to give more notice for the event,' said Jean Nogueira, one of the organizers.

'On the recommendations of the police department the page was removed, but people came anyway,' said Nogueira. The group will try to stage another demonstration on Monday, also in Central Park.

In Berlin, nearly 350 people assembled on Sunday to show support for the protestors in Brazil. The event took place in Kottbusser Damm, one of the city's most important streets.

The demonstration was organised by Juliana Doraciotto, 25, from São Paulo. The main photo on the event's Facebook page was that of Giuliana Vallone, the Folha reporter who was hit in the eye by a rubber bullet during the protests last Thursday.

In Montreal, nearly 150 people braved the rain in order to protest in front of the Brazilian consulate in Westmount Square. The group 'Democracy Without Borders' had organised the event on social networks, and demonstrators marched from Canada Square to the consulate along a route agreed with the authorities beforehand. The police accompanied the march, though it occurred peacefully and there was no deviation from the planned route.

Translated by TOM GATEHOUSE

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