Rio de Janeiro Government Admits Not Knowing How to Deal With Protests

07/19/2013 - 09h47

Four days before the arrival of Pope Francis, Rio de Janeiro's Public Security Council recognized on Thursday that it doesn't know how to deal with the group of demonstrators that has clashed with the police and, in some cases, caused vandalism in the city's south zone.

On Thursday night the group had taken part in a demonstration in front of Governor Sérgio Cabral's home in Leblon, and vandalized at least 25 businesses in Leblon and Ipanema, sacked a men's clothing store, destroyed public phones, traffic signs and blocked the streets by setting fire to piles of garbage.

Nine people were arrested in the act and charged with criminal conspiracy. One of them also was accused of carrying an explosive device.

Escalating violence during the protests is worrying those in charge of the pope's security during his visit, which will begin on Monday. There are at least six protests scheduled in the city during his stay for the World Youth Day.

Security Secretary José Mariano Beltrame says police actions during the protests will require "different treatment."

"We cannot have a rigid, inflexible plan, because the protests are flexible. There isn't enough information to draw up a plan as we do during a formal event," said Beltrame.

Although on Wednesday the ministers of Justice, José Eduardo Cardozo, and Defense, Celso Amorim, participated in a meeting in Rio to try to convince Vatican representatives of the need to reinforce the pope's security, on Thursday Gen. José Abreu, the armed forces' representative in the security for the event, said the protests will not require a change of plans.

"We had already been working with the possibility of protests. We were surprised by the protests during the Confederations Cup, but we had already been concerned with intimidating demonstrations and terrorist acts," said Abreu.

Beltrame also said the police are "learning' how to act with each demonstration. "The solution is intermediary. In this process we are learning how to deal with things we don't know: Molotov cocktails and masked protestors," said Beltrame.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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