FIFA expects access to World Cup matches to be ensured

FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke paid his last inspection visit to the Mané Garrincha National Stadium, in Brasília, on Monday (Feb. 17), and said he expects the government’s support against violent protests during the World Cup, like the one which resulted in the death of Bandeirantes TV cameraman Santiago Andrade last week in Rio de Janeiro. Valcke stated that the World Cup is a large-scale event for any country, and requires the government to pay special attention to safety and the fans’ right to get to the stadiums.

As regards the participation of the Black Blocs in the demonstrations, he said that “There’s only one way of fighting it: using the police to make sure that people will be under control,” and added that peaceful protests are legitimate in any democracy, but that, when violence breaks out, the police should interfere, stressing that “fans have the right to watch the matches.”

Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo said that, just as peaceful demonstrations are a constitutional right, violent ones, which place people’s lives as well as public and private property in danger, are also dealt with by the law: “Therefore, with or without the World Cup, under any circumstances, the application of the law suffices.” He mentioned the demonstration during which the cameraman was killed, and said that the law was enforced and that it led to the imprisonment of those responsible, who will be prosecuted and brought to trial: “There’s no reason why measures apart from those defined by law should be considered.”

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira