National Note 08/2024

The police and the courts have begun a crusade against demonstrators who dare to protest against the increase in fares on public transport in São Paulo. Last Wednesday, the 10th, 25 young people (including six teenagers) were arrested at a subway station, even before they arrived at the event called by the Free Pass Movement. Seven adults (five men and two women) were arrested and charged with attempting to violently abolish the democratic rule of law, criminal association and corruption of minors, absolutely disproportionate charges against people who didn't even have the right to demonstrate.

At a custody hearing, the judiciary granted the prisoners provisional release, but ordered six of them to wear electronic anklets and a ban on taking part in demonstrations. The Public Prosecutor's Office then asked for the youths to be remanded in custody until their trial. The detained teenagers will also face charges.

It is worth denouncing the abuse of the charge of attempting to violently abolish the democratic rule of law, the same charge made against the coup plotters of January 8, 2023, in the Three Powers Square. As we already know, the action in Brasilia was planned and financed by reactionary sectors and even had the help of politicians, high-ranking military officers, police officers, businessmen and members of the intelligence agencies. The coup action by the Bolsonaro supporters and their partners in the ruling classes cannot be compared to a legitimate popular protest, organized from below and defending the interests of the oppressed classes. These arrests are in line with an orchestrated action by Bolsonaro, which, embedded in broad sectors of the police (Governor Tarcísio de Freitas) and the judiciary, intends to "take revenge" on any progressive popular struggle because of the arrests of the coup plotters on January 8.

Since the World Cup was held in Brazil, the Brazilian state has been tightening the laws against social protests. This initiative demonstrates that regardless of the governments in power, the ruling classes intend to shield themselves from any pressure for social reforms and act to criminalize popular movements. Let's not forget that it was during Dilma's government that the Anti-Terrorism Law (2016) was sanctioned in the country and already in that context there was great pressure from the ruling classes to criminalize social protest. We can't have any illusions about the institutions, which will always use legal instruments to repress popular organization.

Progressive republicanism and its unconditional defense of bourgeois democracy show its limitations. It is not possible to use the tools of the ruling classes without them turning against popular movements and left-wing political organizations that want to profoundly transform society. Furthermore, the attempt to frame combative popular movements in the same way as the extreme right facilitates the action of Bolsonarism, which, supported by the most reactionary sectors of the ruling classes, imposes the limits of the capitalist and bourgeois order by force.

In recent years, governments and the courts have used various means to stifle the popular revolt against the increase in fares. Last week's episode is proof that the state will do anything to protect the profits of transport entrepreneurs, while the service delivered is getting worse and worse.

We at OSL express our solidarity with the detainees, denounce the criminalization of social protest and continue to fight against the increase and for Zero Fare!

OSL, January 15, 2024