Deaths of Teenagers Spark Protests in Rio de Janeiro State and City

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A protest over the death of Henrico de Jesus Viegas de Menezes Júnior, 19 years old, blocked the streets of Magé, a town in the Baixada (Lowlands) area outside Rio de Janeiiro, on Monday evening, August 12th.

He was shot by a stray bullet, at around 3 PM, during a confrontation between police and criminals in the Terra Nova Community, Lagoa District. The young man received medical attention but was dead on arrival at the hospital.

Protesters set fire to tires and hurled rocks at the city hall offices. Buses and garbage collection trucks were disrupted due to the protest, which was dispersed by the State Police by the end of the night.

In a note, the State Police reported that a criminal had been injured on Monday afternoon and attended at the Municipal Hospital of Magé, “after clashing with police officers during an operation in the Terra Nova community.” According to the Police, he was found with a revolver, a radio, narcotics and a notebook for trafficking.

The family claims that Henrico was not involved in trafficking but rather worked in a supermarket.

Niterói

In Niterói, 16-year-old Dyogo Coutinho was shot during a gunfight between State Police and drug traffickers in the Grota community around noon on Monday, August 12th.

The boy dreamed of being a soccer player and was on his way to practice at the time of the shooting. He was shot and fell in the middle of the street. Dyogo’s grandfather, a bus driver, was passing by and rushed his grandson to the hospital, but the boy did not survive his injuries.

After Dyogo’s death was confirmed, residents of the Grota favela protested in the community’s vicinity. They blocked streets in the area and set a bus on fire.

In a note, the State Police reported that an operation had been carried out in the communities of Viradouro, Igrejinha, and Grota, and learned that an individual had been shot by a firearm and had not survived after the operation was completed.

The State Police further reported that an AK-47 rifle, two pistols and an as yet undetermined amount of narcotics were seized in the operation. Three suspects were arrested, and one minor was detained.

Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro Capital

Another protest took place on Monday afternoon in Tijuca, a neighborhood in the northern part of Rio de Janeiro. Members of the “Vidas Negras Importam” (Black Lives Matter) movement gathered on Rua Conde de Bonfim, in front of the bus stop where 18-year-old student Gabriel Pereira Alves was killed on Friday morning, August 9th, when he was shot by a stray bullet.

Protesters sealed off the road for 20 minutes and then headed towards the neighborhood of Usina. The peaceful protest was monitored by the municipal guard and the state police.