{"id":65251,"date":"2021-04-17T14:28:16","date_gmt":"2021-04-17T17:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/?p=65251"},"modified":"2023-05-23T09:23:39","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T12:23:39","slug":"marielle-franco-is-present-around-the-world-i-will-not-be-interrupted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=65251","title":{"rendered":"Marielle Franco Present Around the World: ‘I Won’t Be Interrupted!’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/strong><\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a pain that has not healed in the city of Rio de Janeiro, caused by the violence against democracy that affects so many. On the street named after deceased supreme Catholic leader Pope John Paul I, City Councilor Marielle Franco<\/a> had her life brutally stolen from her people in the vile act executed with the express purpose of silencing her voice. If, at the time, investigators counted all the bullets that pierced the car driven by Anderson Gomes<\/a>, who also had his life taken, it is impossible to count all of those impacted and that, united in their pain, have since joined voices in a single cry for justice asking: \u2018Who ordered her killing?\u2019\u201d \u2014 Hercules da Silva Xavier Ferreira<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

After three years, we still do not have an answer to this crime. Who ordered Marielle Franco\u2019s murder? And why? Unfortunately, the quote by Hercules da Silva Xavier Ferreira, that opens the entry \u201cMapping homages to Marielle Franco,<\/a>\u201d in the Marielle Franco Dictionary of Favelas<\/a>\u2014an online platform that gives the public access to acquire and produce knowledge about favelas\u2014continues to express a current sentiment. It is also a synthesis of the feeling that echoes throughout cities: Rio de Janeiro, S\u00e3o Paulo, Buenos Aires, Berlin, Lisbon, Paris, Florence, Amsterdam, Washington D.C., and many other places worldwide that have designated a tribute to this daughter of the Complexo da Mar\u00e9<\/a> favelas who dared to \u201cnot be interrupted\u201d in her resistance and fight for the right to the favela.<\/p>\n

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From Brazil to the United States, from Latin America to Europe, all scream together for justice. However, in Rio de Janeiro, the city where Marielle was born and raised, it took three years for the city to install a plaque in honor of the councilor<\/a>. The sign was placed in Cinel\u00e2ndia, in front of the City Council<\/a> building where she served, on the third anniversary of her death and reads: \u201cBlack woman, favela-born and raised, LGBT and human rights defender. Brutally murdered on March 14, 2018, for fighting for a more just society.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Present at the plaque\u2019s unveiling were family members of Marielle (her daughter, parents, and sister Anielle<\/a>), along with Mayor Eduardo Paes<\/a> and Federal Deputy Marcelo Freixo<\/a>. Elsewhere in the world, the black, bisexual, human rights-defending child of Complexo da Mar\u00e9 has been widely celebrated since her death<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think all the tributes are incredible because they give us strength to continue this fight, and show that we are on the right side of history. It is a struggle for Marielle\u2019s memory, for justice, and for Brazilian democracy to be recognized not for impunity, but for being on the right side of history. It is a very important fight for me. The recognition of the [Marielle Franco] Institute<\/a> and the tributes themselves give us strength and prove that this legacy is not ours alone; it is collective, and a giant like her,\u201d says Anielle Franco.<\/p>\n

Marielle Franco and driver Anderson Gomes were shot to death<\/a> on the night of March 14, 2018. Marielle was leaving a political event in the neighborhood of Lapa and was on her way home when she was murdered. Marielle\u2019s family believes the identity of those responsible may be revealed once the arrested defendants are tried. In the event that they are indeed convicted, a plea bargain may be made in exchange for a reduced sentence.<\/p>\n

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To date, in addition to society not knowing who ordered Marielle Franco’s assassination, or why, those accused of carrying it out<\/a>\u2014retired military police officer Ronnie Lessa, and former military police officer \u00c9lcio Vieira de Queiroz\u2014have still not been tried. Both are detained in the federal prison of Porto Velho (State of Rond\u00f4nia) and will be tried by a jury, although the court date has not been set.<\/p>\n

An investigative task force was launched on March 12, 2021<\/a> by the Prosecutors Office of Rio. The task force made a court agreement with Facebook to obtain data that will help identify the perpetrators of the crime. According to information provided by UOL<\/em><\/a>, the task force met with representatives from the Marielle Franco Institute and Amnesty International<\/a> on the progress of the ongoing investigation.<\/p>\n

The street sign put up last month in honor of Marielle Franco was a symbolic act (the street was not actually renamed). To this day, not a single Rio de Janeiro street, square, or public space has been renamed in her honor. The plaque was placed in front of City Council, where Marielle worked\u2014in the same place where seven months after her murder a similar one was violently destroyed after being put up and celebrated by activists.<\/p>\n

The original symbolic sign was removed and broken by then candidates<\/a> Rodrigo Amorim (a state deputy hopeful) and Daniel Oliveira (a federal deputy candidate), both from the Social Liberal Party (PSL<\/a>). The two were seen days later at a political rally in the city of Petr\u00f3polis with the original<\/a> sign broken in half. The scene was recorded and posted across social media.<\/p>\n

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\n<\/a>At the time, the candidates\u2019 act of destroying Marielle Franco\u2019s street sign caused protestors to take the streets. On October 14, 2018, in Cinel\u00e2ndia<\/a>, Central Rio<\/a>, protestors gathered to honor Marielle Franco and to demonstrate collective resistance while asking for justice. The protest also condemned the two candidates, Rodrigo Amorim and Daniel Oliveira, for destroying Marielle\u2019s sign.<\/p>\n

The act was an initiative from satirical website Sensacionalista<\/a><\/em>, which created a crowdfunding campaign to raise R$2,000 (US$360) to make 100 signs in honor of Marielle. \u201cThey tear one up, we make 100,\u201d stated Sensacionalista<\/em> on a crowdfunding website<\/a>, according to Carta Capital<\/em> magazine.<\/p>\n

Rodrigo Amorim, elected state deputy in 2018, framed and hung part of the broken sign<\/a> in his office at the Rio de Janeiro Legislative Assembly as decoration. Daniel Silveira, currently also a deputy, was arrested during carnival<\/a> after threatening Supreme Federal Court (STF) judges on social media.<\/p>\n

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Since then, the sign\u2014which features elements of a tombstone, with Marielle\u2019s date of birth and death (by murder) and the crime scene’s zip code\u2014has become a symbol of the fight for justice. According to website Rua Marielle Franco<\/a><\/em>, \u201cMore than 18,000 Marielle Franco street signs have been produced since they tried to destroy the tribute.\u201d The website provides the art to be downloaded to \u201ctake the signs everywhere and show that Mari is as big as the world!\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, \u201cMarielle Franco Street\u201d signs are inside homes all over the world in her honor. In addition to this, monuments, scholarships, and even beer gardens bear Marielle\u2019s name in honor of her legacy<\/a>, from Europe to the United States and Latin America. However, in her own country, including in her own city of Rio de Janeiro, the Marielle Franco Street remains a dream of justice for her family, friends, and society looking to honor her name, history, and legacy in Brazil.<\/p>\n

Marielle\u2019s funeral was held inside the City Council building to the applause and tears of thousands. The symbolic sign placed by the administration in Cinel\u00e2ndia is therefore a tribute in a spot treaded by Marielle many times, in life and in death.<\/p>\n

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Brazil: S\u00e3o Paulo<\/h3>\n

Located at the corner of Cardeal Arcoverde and Cristiano Viana streets, in Pinheiros, S\u00e3o Paulo, the Marielle Franco Staircase has been around since March 20, 2018. Built in 1972, and originally painted white, the place was a popular spot for graffiti artists. A battle of decades was \u201cfought\u201d between city government\u2014that repainted everything white and then abandoned the staircase to its own fate\u2014and graffiti artists and graffiti vandals.<\/p>\n

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The battle ended, however, when the staircase was occupied by activists honoring Marielle Franco. From then on, a new struggle began between city officials and activists, and went on for months, since the tribute is not an official memorial to the councilor. Before the elections, Marielle\u2019s image was the target of depredation with red paint being thrown over the mural. But activists went back and placed another picture of a smiling Marielle on top of the vandalized one. The picture may be smaller, but Marielle is always smiling. In January 2019, City Hall returned to repaint everything white with the excuse that it would be making repairs to the staircase. The City, however, did not expect the opposition of Mr. Francisco\u2014who occupies the abandoned space below the staircase. As documented by news portal UOL<\/em><\/a>, he prevented city workers from painting over the councilor’s photo.<\/p>\n

France: Garden and Bus Stop<\/h3>\n

In 2019<\/a>, the French capital dedicated a garden in honor of Marielle Franco and invited her parents and daughter to the opening ceremony. The hanging garden is located<\/a> next to Gare de l\u2019Est, one of Paris’s main metro stations. It is 2,600m2 <\/span>and boasts approximately 70 trees<\/a>, most of which yield fruit\u2014a symbol of Marielle Franco\u2019s legacy as a fruit of resistance.<\/p>\n

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The Parisian administration saw the initiative as \u201cthe capital\u2019s engagement in the defense of human rights around the world, and also of politicians in danger,\u201d according to a statement released a day before the garden\u2019s inauguration ceremony<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The Marielle Franco Suspended Garden, next to the Gare de l’Est. Photo: Hypeness<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the city of Grenoble, in southeast France, Marielle was remembered through the official renaming of a bus stop<\/a>. The city\u2019s initiative was \u201cto honor strong characters in history.\u201d Grenoble has been known over the last few years to pursue efforts in bringing equality between men and women. Several streets, town squares, and facilities have been renamed with feminine names to make women more visible in the public space.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMarielle Franco – Rondeau\u201d bus stop, Grenoble<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Marielle\u2019s name was selected by suggestion of the visitors of the \u201cFemmes \u00e0 l\u2019Honneur<\/em><\/a>\u201d (Women in Highlight) exhibition of 2018. Marielle was chosen for fulfilling all the requirements of \u201cexemplarity of life, the universality of the message transmitted throughout her journey, and coherence with her territory and local roots.\u201d<\/p>\n

Portugal: Marielle Franco Street and Mural in Monsanto Panoramic<\/h3>\n

Also in 2019, the Lisbon city council passed a proposal<\/a> to name a street in the Portuguese capital after councilor and activist Marielle Franco. At the time of the approval, the councilors highlighted the activist\u2019s work: \u201cMarielle Franco was committed to the fight for human rights, especially in defense of the rights of black women, favela and periphery residents, and in denouncing police violence,\u201d said the statement released by councilor Manuel Grilo\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

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High relief portrait of the councilor at Panor\u00e2mico de Monsanto Panoramic by sculptor Vhils.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite being presented by the Council\u2019s leftist parties, the proposal was accepted unanimously among councilors<\/a>. A municipal commission will propose and select which street will be named after Marielle.<\/p>\n

Marielle Franco had already been honored by Portuguese artist Vhils at the Panor\u00e2mico de Monsanto<\/a>, in 2018. This tribute is part of Amnesty International\u2019s Brave Walls project. On a wall just over three meters tall, Vhils<\/a> made a high relief portrait<\/a> of the councilor using only white paint. Vhils is known among Rio de Janeiro residents who frequent Brazil\u2019s first favela, Morro da Provid\u00eancia, where he spent some time in 2012. At the time, he partnered with local photographer Mauricio Hora to make a series of striking high relief portraits<\/a> of people removed from their homes by the City, and carved, then painted their images on the walls of demolished houses.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith this piece, in Portugal<\/a>, we wanted to give the greatest possible visibility to the Marielle Franco case<\/a>\u2014not only to celebrate her life, which is extremely inspiring, and to continue the fight for her causes, but also to ensure that justice is found for her murder. It is the expression of art, peacefully and audibly, demanding justice and human rights,\u201d says Pedro Neto, executive director of Amnesty International<\/a> Portugal.<\/p>\n

Florence, Italy: Oblate Library Terrace<\/h3>\n

In 2019, the city of Florence, Italy approved to name the terrace of Oblate Library<\/a> in honor of Marielle<\/a>. \u201cFrom the terrace, a magnificent view of Brunelleschi\u2019s Dome will allow Marielle\u2019s memory to be preserved, while promoting continuous reflection on the themes of integration and fundamental human rights,\u201d said councilor Luca Milani<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Marielle Franco Terrace, at the Oblate Library<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After the city\u2019s approval and a specific resolution passed by municipal committees<\/a>, the terrace’s process of officially receiving Marielle\u2019s name was started.<\/p>\n

Netherlands: Museum Fa\u00e7ade<\/h3>\n

In the Dutch capital, the graffiti piece painted on the fa\u00e7ade of the Stedelijk Museum<\/a>, one of Europe\u2019s most important cultural spaces, was done in remembrance of Marielle\u2019s name and history. \u201cA year without answers\u201d is the message Rio de Janeiro artist Panmela Castro<\/a> recorded in Amsterdam. She was selected to create her art at the Mama Cash feminist festival.<\/p>\n