Protest in Curitiba leaves 170 protesters and 20 police officers injured

At least 170 protesters were injured in clashes with police in Curitiba, Paraná, on Wednesday afternoon (Apr. 29). Teachers on strike since Monday were protesting against a bill amending the state pension system that was eventually approved in the early evening by the state Legislative Assembly of Paraná.

The conflict broke out at about 3 pm in front of the Assembly building when protesters, mostly teachers, tried to break through Military Police cordon around the Legislative Assembly. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators. The teachers stepped back, but police continued firing tear gas.

The casualties were provided first aid at the nearby town hall and Court of Justice. At least 45 of them were taken to local hospitals and emergency care units.

The Public Security Department of Paraná reported 20 policemen were injured, and seven people arrested “for direct involvement in attacks on police.” The government of Paraná assigned the clashes to “outsiders”.

Governor Beto Richa referred to the episode as “deplorable” and called the protesters “rioters”, maintaining the attacks were not initiated by the police. “They were just standing there to protect the Legislative Assembly building,” he said.

But the Union of Paraná Teachers condemned the police conduct. “Hundreds of policemen were brought from elsewhere to the capital [Curitiba] merely to ensure the Legislative Assembly of Paraná would be able to vote a proposal that could just as well have been negotiated towards a compromise. But our greedy and incompetent governor chose to rushed it that way,” the union said in a statement, noting that the strike will continue.

The state teachers are striking over a proposed amendment of the state public employees' pension system. Accounting for 70% of the state bureaucracy, the teachers say the new law will worsen their retirement conditions in order to “rescue government accounts.”

Translated by Mayra Borges