Brazil: USP Student Occupation Attacked by Military Police
Featured image: Police brutally attack students occupying the Rectorate of USP (University of São Paulo). Source: A Nova Democracia
Since May 7th, students of the University of São Paulo (USP) have carried out an occupation of the rectors building, demanding better housing conditions and protesting unsanitary cooking practices. On Sunday morning of the 10th of May Military Police (MP), acting on the orders of the reactionary governor Tarcisio De Freitas and the rector Aluísio Segurado, carried out a violent and brutal crackdown against the students, A Nova Democracia (AND) reports.
The student strike began on April 14th and, for almost a month, occupied the premises of the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities (EACH) on the campus located in the East Zone of the city of São Paulo, the students clarify that the occupation only occurred after the university administration closed off negotiation channels.
A Nova Democracia reports a statement from the movement: “the Military Police arrived destroying everything, regardless of whether it was ‘public property’ or materials brought by the students. The police threw stun grenades and formed a corridor to attack the students during their withdrawal. Several students were injured, some seriously, and four students were arbitrarily detained. Later, the police will show the materials they destroyed during the attack as if they had been destroyed by the students and blame the occupation, but the videos are there that disprove any possibility of using this trick. This is the Military Police in its essence!”
The students strongly condemns the violence carried out by the MP, emphasizing that the violence only managed to cement the need to continue the struggle uncompromisingly, with a new student assembly having been called.
On May 11th, students held a large demonstration in the morning as part of their strike activities and against the criminal and brutal eviction carried out by the Military Police. Reactionary councilman Rubinho Nunes showed his face, followed closely by his bodyguards, attempting to threaten, insult and assault the students, who promptly responded by punching him in the face.
In support, students from UNICAMP joined the strike, including medical students who promised to hold work stoppages in support of their fellow students from USP. In total, 16 courses joined the strike on the 11th.
You can read the full report here:
