Protesters Injured as Riot Police Use Teargas and Rubber Bullets Amid Efforts to Dilute Indigenous Land Protections
In Brasília, Brazil, riot police clashed with indigenous protesters outside the country’s Congress, using teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. The protest was in response to new legislation that seeks to weaken legal protections for indigenous territories, potentially opening them to commercial agriculture and mining.
Protesters, including children and elderly participants, have been camped outside Congress for two weeks, voicing their concerns over the bill, which could result in the commercialization of their ancestral lands. According to Dinamam Tuxá, an indigenous leader, the police action was sudden and violent, with demonstrators being struck by teargas bombs and rubber bullets. Some protesters were injured during the confrontation, and three police officers were also reportedly hit by arrows.
Footage from the scene shows protesters fleeing from clouds of teargas, while others continued to defend themselves with bows and arrows. Tuxá described the police response as an “abuse of power,” pointing out that the police fired projectiles even after a protester collapsed on the ground. The violent escalation has sparked outrage among indigenous groups and human rights organizations.
