{"id":74979,"date":"2023-05-30T09:23:22","date_gmt":"2023-05-30T12:23:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=74979"},"modified":"2023-05-31T21:01:13","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T00:01:13","slug":"police-brutality-marks-forced-eviction-of-homes-and-businesses-in-rato-molhado-favela-in-rio-de-janeiros-north-zone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=74979","title":{"rendered":"Police Brutality Marks Forced Eviction of Homes and Businesses in Rato Molhado Favela in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Businesses<\/a>
Businesses being torn down in the Rato Molhado favela. Photo: B\u00e1rbara Dias<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/i><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/h4>\n

Last Wednesday, May 24, a “shock order operation” [aggressive program to crack down on public disorder] by the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Public Order Secretariat (SEOP<\/a>) demolished 25 wooden and brick and mortar homes, a warehouse owned by a building material store, and three shops in the Rato Molhado<\/a> favela, in the Sampaio neighborhood in the city’s\u00a0North Zone<\/a>. The operation was followed closely by the Municipal Guard (GM<\/a>) and Military Police (PM<\/a>) at one of the entrances to the favela, Rua Paim Pamplona under the Armando Coelho de Freitas Viaduct, an access route to the Noel Rosa Tunnel. Residents were outraged and tried to protest against the removal, but were met with brutal repression by the police. Now homeless, they had their rights to freedom of expression, protest, and housing violated by violent physical aggression and shots fired with lethal ammunition by Rio’s Military Police.<\/h4>\n
\"Military<\/a>
Military Police officer points a rifle directly at a resident during the protest against forced eviction at the Rato Molhado favela. Photo: B\u00e1rbara Dias.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Rato Molhado favela<\/a>, also known as the Dois de Maio community, has a history of occupations and forced evictions<\/a> that dates back to its emergence in 1950. There were many evictions in the 1960s and 1970s. The community only achieved relative security in 1980 when residents organized and established their residents’ association. Rato Molhado is near other favelas, like Jacar\u00e9<\/a>, Jacarezinho<\/a>, and C\u00e9u Azul<\/a>\u00a0in Engenho Novo<\/a>\u2014a region where rights are constantly denied. In 2014, there was an occupation and the emergence of the Telerj favela<\/a>, which was also the target of a violent eviction by City Hall, at the time also under the administration of Mayor Eduardo Paes<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Residents<\/a>
Residents of Rato Molhado watch the eviction operation in their community. Photo: B\u00e1rbara Dias<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the Municipal Secretariat of Public Order (SEOP) website, the information<\/a> reported on the operation is that: \u201cThe SEOP removed about 30 irregular structures in the neighborhood of Sampaio, North Zone of Rio.\u201d According to residents, this is a far cry from capturing what happened. Wooden shacks were burned to the ground, without the presence of the fire department to contain the flames. Some claimed the fire was set by residents of the occupation who, now evicted, are on the streets. Outraged by the forced eviction, the brutality, and the loss of their homes, they allegedly set fire to their own homes in protest. Others report that it was the police who set the structures on fire.<\/p>\n