Vandalism at São Paulo Subway Stations After Pro-Lula Rally

Supporters of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva engaged in significant vandalism at two subway stations in São Paulo following a pro-Lula rally. This prompted the Brazilian Military Police (PM) to temporarily close the affected stations.

The rally took place on São Paulo’s prominent Paulista Avenue and was a key event in a series of demonstrations organized by Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT) as part of his campaign for the upcoming runoff election on October 25 against conservative Senator Flavio Bolsonaro.

Lula was joined at the rally by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, alongside current and former ministers and re-elected PT governors. Reports highlighted restrictions on drone footage due to safety regulations, which limited high-resolution aerial views of the event. The PT claimed around “one million” attendees, although estimates suggested a more realistic figure of about 261,000 based on Paulista Avenue’s capacity.

While the rally itself was reportedly peaceful, chaos ensued post-event, as some pro-Lula supporters vandalized the entrances to the Consolação and Trianon-Masp subway stations. Videos captured protesters atop station entrances waving flags, with graffiti reading “Long Live the Revolution” appearing on one of the structures.

In light of these events, the Military Police announced the temporary closure of the two stations, which resulted in some disruptions to subway operations. They reported broken doors and altercations between passengers and subway staff. Viamobilidade, the organization operating the São Paulo subway, implemented emergency measures to manage passenger flow during the protests.

Additional footage surfaced showing protesters tearing and burning American flags at the stations. Insults directed at former President Donald Trump were also reported among the demonstrators.

As of now, there has been no official comment from Lula, the PT, or any members of his campaign regarding the vandalism.

Senator Flávio Bolsonaro referenced the events on social media, likening the chaos in São Paulo to the television show The Walking Dead and sharing footage alongside its theme music. He questioned whether others saw the comparison, adding, “My God, look at what Lula wants to turn Brazil into.”

The Liberal Party (PL), led by Bolsonaro, also commented on these events, labeling them as vandalism by the PT. They shared a video where São Paulo PL City Councilor Lucas Pavanato criticized some rioters for their imagery, making a controversial analogy about support for Palestine.

Pavanato also recalled a previous incident where a Brazilian woman received a lengthy prison sentence for her actions during earlier riots, questioning if similar penalties would apply to the leftist protesters from Sunday.

Looking ahead, reports say the PL is organizing a pro-Bolsonaro rally in São Paulo on October 18. On the same day, a debate between Bolsonaro and Lula, marking their first face-off in this election cycle, is scheduled, after Lula’s refusal to participate in earlier debates.

Despite Bolsonaro’s success in the first round of voting on October 4, when he outperformed expectations against Lula, he did not secure the majority required to win outright, leading to the upcoming runoff. Early polls suggest that Bolsonaro remains ahead as the election date approaches.