Rio 2016: Mock slum set up by NGO criticizing Olympic legacy taken down

The Rio de Janeiro Municipal Guard on Saturday (Aug. 20) took down a mock shantytown made from cardboard, plastic, and wood erected by Rio de Paz NGO on Copacabana beach to raise questions about the legacy of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for the poor population.

Rio de Paz founder Antônio Carlos Costa said the NGO has staged similar protests and erected similar installations since 2007 and has never been barred by authorities. “The Municipal Guard pulled down our shacks that represented the claims of millions of poor people at slums to whom the Olympics have left no legacy,” he said.

Costa was very incisive in saying the Rio population was not heard about staging the Olympics in the first place and money spent did not go into addressing priority needs. “Now a peaceful, quiet demonstration is being barred because of Rio's concerns about its image. But what image is that? Everyone knows that we are a violent, blood-stained society where exclusion is the norm and sports arenas don't reflect what life in Rio de Janeiro is really like,” he criticized.

Inspector Brum, who was responsible for the Municipal Guard operation, argues the crackdown was launched based on the city ordinances, which prohibits any structures being set up on the beach.

He denied receiving superior orders to stop the demonstration. “We've removed the installation only, not the demonstration. We shouldn't mistake one thing for the other,” he said.

The NGO founder said that this is the third time the NGO has set up a mock slum there and it has never been taken down. “There is not the slightest question that we're causing embarrassment. There are political, economic interests. [But] the interests of the poor are not respected in this city. It's all about concerns over Rio's image.”

Translated by Mayra Borges

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