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Rio fare protesters seize main station and let commuters travel free Rio fare protesters seize main station and let commuters travel free
(7 months later)
After street protests, station invasions and turnstile vandalism, After street protests, station invasions and turnstile vandalism, Rio de Janeiro’s free public transport movement finally got what it wanted for a few hours on Thursday night with a takeover of the city’s main train and bus hub.
Rio de Janeiro’s free public transport movement finally got what it Thousands of commuters were shepherded through demolished ticket gates at the Central do Brasil station amid a violent confrontation over proposed fare rises that resulted in fires, arrests and disruption of transport networks.
wanted for a few hours on Thursday night with a takeover of the city’s The station in downtown Rio echoed with police percussion grenades and the protesters’ celebratory samba drumming as they seized control of the main bank of ticket machines.
main train and bus hub. Close to a thousand people joined the passe livre (free pass) march, sparked by the announcement by the city mayor, Eduardo Paes, that bus fires will rise from 2.75 reais to 3 reais (£0.75/US$1.25) on Saturday.
Thousands of commuters were shepherded through That may seem cheap compared with London or New York. But for a daily commuter on a minimum monthly wages of 724 reais a month it leaves transport costs at more than a sixth of income. Bus price rises were the spark for massive protests that expanded to cover dozens of other issues and brought more than a million people on to the streets of 80 cities in Brazil in June 2013. At the time the ticket hikes were postponed but the issue is once again on the agenda.
demolished ticket gates at the Central do Brasil station amid a violent Although Thursday’s protest was far smaller than last year’s it was more focussed and the organisers’ tactics appeared to take the large ranks of police by surprise.
confrontation over proposed fare rises that resulted in fires, arrests After marching peacefully from the Candelaria area dozens of activists from the Black Block group sprinted off and entered the station before police could close the gates. They smashed turnstiles, waved flags and entreated commuters to enter the train system without paying.
and disruption of transport networks. Riot police and station security temporarily regained territory with pepper spray and percussion grenades, but after a brief hiatus the demonstrators regained control of the concourse and started drumming, dancing and singing as passengers – many clutching hankerchiefs to their faces because of the pungent police gas in the terminal – passed by without paying.
The station in downtown Rio echoed with police “I totally support this protest,” said Fabiana Aragon, a red-faced, teary-eyed health worker who was heading home after work. The 43-year-old said she spent almost a third of her 1,000 reais income on transport fares but still had to endure long delays, dirty trains and hot, crowded carriages without air conditioning. “The situation now is absurd.”
percussion grenades and the protesters’ celebratory samba drumming as The clashes spread to the streets outside the station. Half a dozen fires burned in the streets of the neighbouring red-light district. Firemen were called in to extinguish a blaze that reduced a bus ticket booth to embers. Hundreds of panicked commuters stampeded through the main bus station after police fired percussion grenades despite no visible sign of protesters. Two young black men with face-masks cried as they were arrested, handcuffed and put inside an armoured police vehicle.
they seized control of the main bank of ticket machines.
Close to a thousand people joined the passe livre (free pass) march, sparked by the announcement by the city mayor, Eduardo Paes, that
bus fires will rise from 2.75 reais to 3 reais (£0.75/US$1.25) on Saturday.
That may seem cheap compared with London or New
York. But for a daily commuter on a minimum monthly wages of 724 reais a
month it leaves transport costs at more than a sixth of income.
Bus price rises were the spark for massive protests that
expanded to cover dozens of other issues and brought more than a million
people on to the streets of 80 cities in Brazil in June 2013. At the time
the ticket hikes were postponed but the issue is once again on the
agenda.
Although Thursday’s protest was far smaller than
last year’s it was more focussed and the organisers’ tactics appeared
to take the large ranks of police by surprise.
After marching peacefully from the Candelaria area dozens of activists from the Black Block group sprinted off and entered the station before police
could close the gates. They smashed turnstiles, waved flags and
entreated commuters to enter the train system without paying.
Riot police and station security temporarily
regained territory with pepper spray and percussion grenades, but after a
brief hiatus the demonstrators regained control of the concourse and
started drumming, dancing and singing as passengers – many clutching
hankerchiefs to their faces because of the pungent police gas in the
terminal – passed by without paying.
“I totally support this protest,” said Fabiana
Aragon, a red-faced, teary-eyed health worker who was heading home after
work. The 43-year-old said she spent almost a third of her 1,000 reais
income on transport fares but still had to endure long delays, dirty
trains and hot, crowded carriages without air conditioning. “The
situation now is absurd.”
The clashes spread to the streets outside the
station. Half a dozen fires burned in the streets of the neighbouring
red-light district. Firemen were called in to extinguish a blaze that
reduced a bus ticket booth to embers. Hundreds of panicked commuters
stampeded through the main bus station after police fired percussion
grenades despite no visible sign of protesters. Two young black men with
face-masks cried as they were arrested, handcuffed and put inside an
armoured police vehicle.
Participants in the demonstration said there would be more protests in the run up to the World Cup, which starts on 12 June.Participants in the demonstration said there would be more protests in the run up to the World Cup, which starts on 12 June.
“Public “Public transport is slow, dirty, hot and expensive. The government shouldn’t be talking about raising fares, it should be working to improve services,“ said Yasmin Thayna, a 21-year-old student. “When the World Cup comes there will be more demonstrations. The World Cup is worsening inequality.”
transport is slow, dirty, hot and expensive. The government shouldn’t
be talking about raising fares, it should be working to improve
services,“ said Yasmin Thayna, a 21-year-old student. “When the World
Cup comes there will be more demonstrations. The World Cup is worsening
inequality.”
It remains to be seen, however, whether the movement can return to the scale of the 2013 protests.It remains to be seen, however, whether the movement can return to the scale of the 2013 protests.