A group formed by occupied a strip of Avenida Paulista, in front of Fiesp (Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo), this May 1st, as a way of preventing the road, the disputed address of political demonstrations in São Paulo, from being blocked.
The public event featured an electric trio and a support sound car, but both were empty. THE Sheet counted around 100 people at the venue in the early afternoon, when the event reached its maximum capacity.
According to businessman Mario Malta, organizer of the event, the group had sent a letter to the Military Police months ago demanding the location to hold the demonstration, in order to reserve the road for the right-wing act and force unions or left-wing protesters to negotiate other locations with the public authorities.
“We have also booked the 9th of June [dia da Revolução Constitucionalista] and the 7th of September [Independência] as well”, said businessman Mario Malta, organizer of the event.
No politician with a mandate attended the event, which defended as flags the prohibition of abortion, the election of (-RJ) to the Presidency this year and freedom for the former president (PL) and others convicted of an attempted coup d’état.
Topics linked to Labor Day, such as the end of the 6×1 round, which is on the left’s agenda, were not mentioned.
Car traffic on Paulista was not blocked — only one lane, on the road towards Paraíso, was blocked, in the place where the sound cars were. The sidewalk in front of Fiesp was also free.
There were, however, two moments of confusion between protesters and passers-by who were on the sidewalk and, in two cases, women were harassed by the group.
In the morning, a 19-year-old girl who was with her boyfriend responded to criticism of left-wing women, made by a protester in the sound car, shouting “no amnesty”. She was pushed by protesters until the police intervened. In the afternoon, a girl was cut by her own earring after pushing with the group. She was also removed from the scene by police officers.
The two women were with men at the time of the two disturbances, but the protesters did not attack them.
