Moraes is surprised by pro-decriminalization protest – 05/22/2023 – Mônica Bergamo

The minister of the STF (Federal Supreme Court) Alexandre de Moraes was surprised this Monday (22) with a protest in favor of the decriminalization of drugs when he arrived at the Faculty of Law of USP, in the capital of São Paulo, to teach one of his disciplines.

Attached to the blackboard in the classroom, a four-metre-long green banner carried the slogan “decriminalize, STF”, in reference to a judgment that will discuss whether or not the individual possession of drugs should be considered a crime and is scheduled to next Wednesday (24).

The case has been stalled at the highest court in the country since 2015, and Moraes is one of the judges who have yet to cast their vote.

According to a student from the Faculty of Law heard by the column, the removal of the banner was even requested by the security guards accompanying the minister – they would have stated that Moraes would not enter the classroom if the protest was maintained. Despite the complaints, the poster remained on the blackboard, and the minister conducted the “Constitutionality Control” class for fifth-year students.

Seminars were presented during the period, and one of the students even mentioned directly the case ruled by the Supreme Court during his presentation to the magistrate.

Despite the protest, Moraes made notes on the blackboard and, in a joking tone, asked if the students were asking for the decriminalization of Palmeiras, since the belt was made in green.

The minister also stated that he would not promote his withdrawal in order not to be labeled as anti-democratic, although he was already “used” to that.

During the break, the director of the institution, Celso Fernandes Campilongo, went to the location and coordinated the removal of the banner. To the students, he stated that he valued democracy and accepted that all topics were debated in college, but that he considered the chosen method to be bad, maintaining that it could even put Moraes under suspicion during the trial.

This Monday’s silent protest was organized by the Antiprohibitionist Observatory, an entity linked to the XI de Agosto Academic Center and which is made up of students who defend the end of the violent war on drugs.

“The STF has in its hands the opportunity to change the lives of millions of people. As a result, there is nothing better than to discuss an urgent issue for the country in the Constitutional Control class: the declaration, by the Supreme Court, of the unconstitutionality of article 28 of the Drug Law”, said the observatory, in a publication on social networks, when talking about the action.

_{with BIANKA VIEIRA, KARINA MATIAS It is MANOELLA SMITH}

PRESENT LINK: Did you like this text? Subscriber can release five free hits of any link per day. Just click the blue F below.