Court notifies PM for not showing people involved in fight – 11/22/2023 – Sports

The Rio de Janeiro Court notified the Military Police saying that it did not present to the Court all those involved in the fight between fans at Maracanã, before the start of the game between Brazil and Argentina. On Tuesday night (21), there was a delay in the start of the match, valid for the World Cup qualifiers, due to confusion in the lower south sector of the stadium.

According to the Court, 17 fans were taken to the Fans and Major Events Court. According to the PM’s most recent report, however, this number is lower: only 13 were brought to justice, nine Argentines and four Brazilians.

In the notification, the Fan Court states that the Military Police did not identify everyone involved in the fight. The magistrate who was on duty the night of the game asked the military to take the fans to the police station on duty to charge them. However, the response she received from a major was that people were receiving medical care.

The judge then visited the medical posts and found that few treatments were provided, raising the suspicion that not everyone involved in the fight was detained by the police, nor brought to justice.

“It is assumed, therefore, the non-presentation of nationals who committed crimes that were notoriously publicized in the press. Due to the lack of presentation of the large number of people involved in provoking the riot and other criminal offenses, it was determined that a letter be sent to the secretary of Military Police, Colonel PM Luiz Henrique Marinho Pires”, says the magistrate.

The Public Ministry of Rio stated that it opened proceedings to investigate the conduct of fans who were not arrested by the Military Police, although images captured indicate that they were also involved in the riot.

According to the Military Police, there is no need to send those detained at the stadium to a police station, as there is already Civil Police representation at Maracanã. When asked specifically about the notification, the corporation did not respond until the publication of this text.

According to the Court of Justice, the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) was also notified.

“Major Ângelo appeared in the courtroom, being alerted by the magistrate of the need to take those involved in the riot to the Duty Station. The major said that the Military Police carried out containment work and that those taken were obtaining medical attention, so that, Afterwards, they were presented at police headquarters. Afterwards, the magistrate went to some service stations, accompanied by employees on duty, and verified that few medical services were provided, among which there were few detainees”, says the text presented by the Court.

The Military Police and the game organizers did not say how many people needed medical attention. Live footage of the fight showed police officers from Bepe (a battalion specializing in stadiums) hitting fans with batons.

The Public Ministry informed that it will investigate whether there was excess committed by the PM. The fight began during the Argentine national anthem. During the song, Brazilian fans began to boo their opponents.

There was no division between fans in the sector, despite the historical rivalry between Brazilians and Argentines. Photos and videos of the confusion show people bleeding from the face and head after a confrontation with police.