Brazil: Peasants manage to free squatters detained in Messias, Alagoas
We share an unofficial translation of an article published yesterday on A Nova Democracia, along with the Social Media sources mentioned in the text.
Peasants from the Zumbi dos Palmares Camp in Messias, Alagoas, managed yesterday, December 3, to free the squatters who had been detained by Military Police (MP) on Monday.
The squatters had been arrested arbitrarily as an attempt of intimidation by the MP. The police have been operating in the municipality alongside goons hired from the big landlords.
The arrest occurred after the MP, after three unsuccessful attempts to break through a blockade, set up by the peasants, managed to invade the camp. The police used five MP vehicles, two vehicles from the PELOPES (Special Police Operations Battalion), five cars from the Usina Utinga Leão (which claims to own the land), and a backhoe. No warrant was presented, and five peasants were arrested while three others were detained.
On December 3rd, the peasants held a vigilance in front of the Rio Largo Court Justice for the release of the peasants from Lajeiro.
The announcement of the release of the detained squatters was made on the Instagram page ‘comitedeapoio_messias’. “This gang of reactionaries will not intimidate the struggling peasants,” says one of the posts.
The peasants also denounce the unjustified questions from the Military Police (MP). In a video, a police officer asks the peasants why the flag of Palestine is raised at the camp.
“Answer: Internationalism, the struggle for land by oppressed peoples of the world; Peasants are the Palestinians of Brazil. It is the same struggle,” says the publication.
