Fatshimétrie reported a poignant scene on Copacabana Beach, where the non-governmental organization Rio de Paz organized a protest to demand answers from the state government regarding the violent deaths of children in Rio de Janeiro.
The protesters set up an unusual Christmas tree, decorated with red crosses as ornaments, next to photos of the children who died, mostly victims of stray bullets. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the devastating impact of violence on the region’s youth.
The President of Rio de Paz, Antonio Carlos, raised a poignant question ahead of the Christmas festivities: “What will Christmas be like for these families grieving the loss of their children?” The pain and anger were palpable among the participants, aware of the 48 tragic deaths of vulnerable children since 2020 in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Among these losses, 37 children were killed by stray bullets, causing indescribable trauma for their loved ones. Vanessa Freitas, moved to tears, shared her heartbreaking story by placing a flower next to the photo of her 14-year-old son, João Vitor, who was shot by a stray bullet. “Too many innocents have fallen, my son was so happy and he was hit in the head,” she expressed with inconsolable pain.
This demonstration on Copacabana is an uprising against the unsustainable normalization of violence affecting Brazilian youth and calls on the authorities to protect the most vulnerable. The message is clear: never again should these children be sacrificed on the altar of indifference and inaction. The cry of despair launched on the sand of the beach resonates as a call for unity to build a safer and more promising future for all the children of Rio de Janeiro.