Social Support and Solidarity on Protests Repression in Brazil 2017

In the last year, the government of Brazil has announced a series of reforms that restrict workers rights. This resulted in several protests that, consequently, have been repressed with violence. Here, an experience of repression is reported by a person who had been reached by a rubber bullet in a demonstration, so as the means that were used to manage the emotions and the consequences of it. In one of the greatest demonstrations in the country in the last decades, dozens of thousands of people marched in Brasilia in May 24th against the Social Security Reform, which changes rules for retirement and contributions. Different workers unions, students organizations, political parties and popular movements went to the federal capital to protest, and were repressed by thousands of policemen with tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, stun grenades and even lethal weapons. During the event, the president authorized the army to prevent the aproximation of the protesters to the National Congress. The event triggered anxiety crisis and panic syndrome in some people during and after that day. Some of the protesters, most of them young students, throwed stones against the policemen and acted with vandalism on the city as a reaction to the repression. A building has been set up on fire. The most prevalent value seen, however, was the solidarity. Each time a person was hurted, many unknown people, from different organizations, helped them to calm down, to find help, and to take health care. In the hospital where several people have been conducted all of them reported the same solidarity and gratefulness. This kind of support to manage this situation was prepared before the occurence by people that were already aware of what could happen. This shows that on that cases, social support and solidarity are fundamental to ensure rights.