São Paulo State Is Sentenced for Police Excessive Force during 2013 Demonstrations

10/21/2016 - 11h59

The state of São Paulo was convicted in first instance for the violence used by the police officers who repressed the demonstrations that occurred in June 2013.

The decision was announced on Wednesday (19), and rules that the state pay the State Fund for the Defense of Diffuse Interests R$ 8 million (USD 2.5 million) as compensation for moral and social damage.

The sentence also calls for the creation of a plan for police actions during protests, which includes mandatory identification of the agents, with their names clearly shown on their uniforms, and prohibition of fire weapons, rubber bullets and tear gas - except when the demonstrations are no longer pacific.

The measures must be carried out within 30 days. If they are not, the state will have to pay a daily fine of R$ 100,000 (USD 31.600)

The citizen suit was filed by the São Paulo Public Defender's Office in April 2014.

The Attorney General's Office of São Paulo State said that it has not been officially informed yet, and that it will appeal as soon as it receives the report. Folha contacted the Department of Public Security of the state of São Paulo and it said that it would not comment.

The state police department has not commented on the case yet.

JUNE DEMOSTRATIONS

In June 2013, the number of people who took to the streets in the demonstrations hiked from 2,000 to more than 1,000,000 in two weeks. The initial point of the period was a protest on June 6 against the increase in the price of public transportation in São Paulo.

The protest had been organized by the Free Pass Movement (MPL), which had already organized similar demonstrations in previous years. One of the most significant dates was June 13 - organizers said more than 20,000 people attended the protest that day.

The demonstration in São Paulo was followed by violent police repression. At the end of the protest, there were over 100 people injured. Police repression began to be one of the main points against which demonstrators protested.

	Ernesto Rodrigues/Folhapress
	The sentence also calls for the creation of a plan for police actions, which includes mandatory identification of the agents, and prohibition of fire weapons, rubber bullets and tear gas - except when the demonstrations are no longer pacific

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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