This Sunday (28), LGBTQIA+ Pride Day, activists for the cause were prohibited, by legislative police officers from the Chamber of Deputies, from extending the movement’s flag on the lawn in front of the National Congress, in Brasília.
The rainbow-colored flag, approximately 50 meters long, was taken by at least 20 activists who intended to carry out a peaceful act there.
According to activist Michel Platini, the group arrived before 10 am and, as soon as the flag was extended in its entirety on the lawn, legislative police arrived in vehicles.
“The police came violently towards us. We knelt down and showed that we were unarmed and that there would be no confrontation.”
Platini explained to the police officers that the flag was a symbol to represent the LGBTQIA+ community and pride. “It is our pride in response to violence.”
“No justification”
Platini testifies that the police claimed there was no authorization for the act.
“The Constitution guarantees that we hold a peaceful demonstration and we informed more than 24 hours in advance,” he said. The activists guarantee that they requested authorization for the act last week.
“They repressed the act without justification. They did not stop the undemocratic acts of January 8 (2023), which promoted destruction, but they stopped us because we had a flag.”
For Michel Platini, this expression of hostility materializes state violence against the community.
Representation
The activist says that the Grupo Estruturação and the Brasiliense Center for the Defense of Human Rights of the Federal District, of which he is a member, intend to represent the Chamber to request an investigation into the conduct of the police officers in obstructing a legitimate action.
Another activist present at the event, designer Rafael Lira, 39 years old, regretted the episode and said that the group was scared by the presence of the vehicles and the approach of the police officers. “It was a mess that the police caused. We wanted to carry out a peaceful act in the name of making our struggle visible.”
Upon learning of the episode at a meeting of activists in Brasília, this Sunday afternoon, district deputy Fábio Felix, president of the Commission for the Defense of Human Rights of the DF District Chamber, said that he will ask for explanations about the approach of the legislative police officers.
The Agência Brasil report sought clarification from the communications department of the Chamber of Deputies, but has not received any response so far. The space is open for participation.
