The councilor of São Paulo (Novo) presented a project that authorizes the use of the program to curb the operation of flanelinhas in the capital of São Paulo and to allow vehicle guards who coerce drivers to be caught in the act.
The project adds provisions to a 2018 law that establishes coercion carried out by flanlinhas as an administrative offense.
The councilor proposes to define coercion as the informal action of individuals who, without authorization from the Public Authorities, directly or indirectly condition the use of public space to the payment of amounts, embarrassment or intimidation, including using cones, banners, boxes, ribbons or any similar object for the purpose of reserving a space.
The text also authorizes the use of Smart Sampa to support the activities of municipal inspection, urban security and public space planning bodies. The objective, the project indicates, is to support prevention, monitoring and investigation actions related to the irregular exploitation of public parking spaces.
According to Monteiro, the images and data eventually used will serve as an element of support for technical analysis, instruction in administrative procedures or the forwarding of information to the competent bodies when there is concrete evidence and previously evaluated by a public agent.
The proposal also authorizes the Metropolitan Civil Guard to arrest drivers who use any form of coercion against drivers.
In justification, she argues that, despite the legislation in force, there are still practical difficulties in monitoring and investigating the conduct of flanlinhas, mainly due to informality and territorial recurrence.
“The initiative cannot be confused with the criminalization of poverty or repression of informality, since it does not affect the individual’s social condition, but rather conduct objectively defined by law, which involves coercion, embarrassment or undue appropriation of public space”, he states.
In the councilor’s assessment, by qualifying the State’s actions, the project contributes to greater legal security, administrative efficiency and protection of citizens’ rights.
LINK PRESENT: Did you like this text? Subscribers can access seven free accesses from any link per day. Just click the blue F below.
