Brazil: São Paulo State police beat striking teachers  · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

On March 26th 2010, thousands of teachers (20,000 people according to the organizers, only 3,500 according to the police) of the State of São Paulo marched towards the  Government Palace, where some of them were beaten [pt] by State Police. On strike since March 8th, the teachers have been protesting on a weekly basis, thousands of people having marched on March 12th and 19th on the most prestigious street of São Paulo, Paulista Avenue. The strike goes on, so the protests go on.
Their goal was to pressurise São Paulo state Governor José Serra to meet  their demands, including a 34.4% pay rise, bonuses, and, a fair career plan. The confrontation was reported live on Twitter, and later uploaded to Flickr and YouTube, with many citizen journalists expressing disgust and disapproval at the police brutality against unarmed school teachers. So far, Serra has not commented on the incident through his personal Twitter account @joseserra_.
Photo by Yuri Gonzaga, used with permission
The demonstration started in peaceful fashion. However, at 12:17 pm a teacher, Eduardo Prado [pt], reports the first signs of the violence to come that he later documented on his blog [pt]:
@eduardoprado: Tem inicio a repressao. Policia ataca os manifestantes com gas de pimenta.
Some teachers and students reacted to the violence. According to Rede Brasil Atual [pt]:
@redebrasilatual: Alguns estudantes tentaram reagir atirando pedras contra os policiais, que vão afastando os manifestantes do local de protesto.
Soon after, there were reports of casualities, some of them seriously injured. Fernando Bustamante [pt] reports:
@fepardal: Um professor foi p/ o hospital em estado grave com uma bala de borracha alojada no pulmão (coisas que a imprensa não diz pra você)
Undercover police action:
Twittering from his mobile, Eduardo Prado [pt] updates on reports that undercover police officers had been mingling with protesters and using violence against them. Making serious accusations against the police, Sérgio Vaz [pt] was retweeted by dozens of people:
@poetasergiovaz: um policial á paisana botou fogo num carro para culpar os professores, mas foi fotografado. A Ditadura impera em Sao Paulo.
Eduardo Prado [pt] reports the same:
@eduardoprado: Um carro foi incendiado, varias testemunhas confirmaram que foram policais a paisana.
Several people were injured during the protests, 16 according to the teachers union. At 22:32, Rede Brasil Atual reports the end and final balance of the confrontation. Suzana Vier later provided the full coverage on their website [pt]:
@redebrasilatual: Acaba a manifestação. Saldo: professores seguem em greve, o governo não negocia e nove pessoas ficaram feridas
Photo by Yuri Gonzaga, used with permission
The [lack of] media balance:
According to Twitter users, the media was very slow to react and report the incident while it was happening, as reports Sérgio Vaz [pt]:
@poetasergiovaz: Os professores estão apanhando feio da polícia do Serra e não tem ninguém da imprensa séria cobrindo. SOS jornalistas sérios.
Túlio Viana [pt] asks sarcastically:
@tuliovianna: Cadê a mídia paulista pra fazer uma reportagem catalogando todas esta rotina de “trabalho duro” do batalhão-de-choque da PM paulista?
Eduardo Amaral [pt] also wonders about the next day's coverage:
@edu74: O clima é tenso no palácio. Professores indignados com a violência da PM. E vai sair na imprensa?
Apparently, the demonstration marred by violence did not make to the main headlines nor was it reported accurately. Fernando Bustamante [pt] carried out an analyses of the pictures published in the main newspapers next day:
@fepardal: Com dezenas de profs feridos, a única foto que vemos nos jornais é de uma PM atingida (merecidamente, aliás). Por que será?
Conrado Galdino [pt] reports that GloboNews, part of the biggest television network in Brazil, had a subtle caption claiming that the teachers had confronted [pt] the police:
@conradopreto: Da forma como foi escrita o leitor desapercebido culpará facilmente os professores. Caracteres tem forte apelo subliminar!
Photo by Yuri Gonzaga, used with permission
The Twittersphere reaction
Twitter users all over Brazil have been discussing the strike and the police violence. Some people believe that the education strike was a measured political act, as the election approaches, such as Vinicius Vianna:
@ViniciusBruno: Que a educação em SP tem muitas deficiências é verdade. Mas essa greve tem interesse político eleitoral e corporativista de acomodados!!!
José Fernandes Jr. [pt] agrees:
@jfernandesjr: Antes de qualquer coisa direito de greve é sagrado. Mas não de cunho político e criminoso com essa.
So does Leo Brandão [pt]:
@LeooBrandao: Greve eleitoreira em SP. E tem gente se iludindo que isso é manifestação de professores apartidários.
Regardless of the politics behind the strike, the majority seem to agree that violence should not be used, as Túlio Vianna [pt] explains:
@tuliovianna: Tão dizendo que a greve dos professores de SP é eleitoreira. E se fosse? Nestes casos a polícia teria o direito de descer o cacete no povo?
Fernando Amaral [pt] asks, after the various recent instances of violence against demonstrators, whether this is a new rule of public security:
@Quodores: Será mesmo que o Governo de São Paulo NÃO consegue que nenhuma, repito, nenhuma manifestação de rua NÃO acabe em pancadaria com a PM?
On the education system
Some other bloggers, such as Conrado Galdino [pt] laments the inversion of values:
@conradopreto: São os professores os responsáveis de fato pelo desenvolvimento do BR merecem respeito e não porrada. #serrafail
Sergio Vaz [pt] takes the opportunity to reflect on the impoverished Brazilian education system:
@poetasergiovaz: Falta de educação:muitos desses pms foram alunos desses professores. Os filhos deles estudam em escolas públicas também.
Like many people around the country,  Twitter user @dolphindiluna was deeply saddened by the news [pt]:
@dolphindiluna: Todas essas notícias sobre os professores estão me deixando tão triste… Da revolta e indignação à uma profunda tristeza. #solidariedade
Photo by Yuri Gonzaga, used with permission
This last violent incident has made citizens feel more alarmed, especially because José Serra will run for president of Brazil in the forthcoming elections of October 2010. Today, March 31st, was his last day in office before starting his campaign. The teachers organized his “leaving do” party, marching again through the streets of São Paulo. So far, no major incidents have been reported.