by Michael Hone
After Shooting by Military Police, Mob Burns Civil and Military Police Stations
BELEM, Brazil – The city of Sao Sebastiao da Boa Vista, on the Marajo Archipelago, in the State of Para saw some tense moments Saturday night. According to an article on O Globo online, angry residents stormed and torched the 9th Military Police Battalion. The group also ransacked and looted the Civil Police station in the city.
According to the Civil Police, the disturbances started at around 11 pm Saturday night after a Military Policeman, identified as Antonio Marcos Ferreira da Silva, tried to arrest a man he caught red-handed assaulting a woman on the street during the Festival of Acai. A group of people gathered around the officer and tried to prevent the arrest. A melee ensued and the officer pulled his gun and fired hitting and killing one of those in the crowd.
In a statement, the Military Police said that the officer involved in the shooting was put under administrative detention and taken to the Internal Affairs Office of the Military Police (PM) in Belem, the state capitol. An investigation was opened to determine what happened.
After the death, villagers went to the building of the 9th Battalion of the PM, vandalized and set fire to it. Then the group set its sights on the Civil Police (PC) station where they ransacked and looted furniture and computers and vandalized the building. Civil Policemen tried to contain the assault on their building but were unable to given the size and determination of the crowd.
According to State of Para Public Security Bureau in the capitol, during the riots, 16 prisoners held at the two stations escaped or were turned lose by the crowds. Two police motorcycles were also burned. Two police officers were wounded and taken to hospital in another city.
Civil and Military Police from the nearby town of Breves were called in to help restore order. Special riot forces from the capitol were also dispatched to help quell the violence.
Read also: More Articles from Brazil Dispatch
Brazilian online news source for this article: O Globo
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