> De: Pablo Ortellado
> Data: 1 de junho de 2005 19h2min48s GMT-03:00
> Assunto: SOLIDARITY: URGENT
>
> Sorry for cross postings. This is just to ask for your solidarity to 
> our
> friends who are fighting in the streets of Florianópolis (Brazil) for
> free transportation. People who were at the last World Social Forum in
> Porto Alegre probably met the people from the Passe Livre Movement, a
> youth movement fighting for free transportation for all. In
> Florianopolis, the movement lead a ten day revolt where tens of
> thousands of people blocked all major streets of the city preventing 
> the
> rise in the bus fares. After the revolt, the Passe Livre movement
> managed to pass a law giving free transportation to students (the mayor
> has not yet implemented it). Now, the mayor tried again to raise the
> fares and thousands of people are in the streets. Three young people
> were arrested preventively and only released with a large bail. There
> are rumors that there are 12 other people to be arrested. We ask people
> to please write to local authorities protesting the arrest of the 
> people
> demonstrating against the high fares for bus transportation. The
> addresses are below this indymedia feature story.
> Best,
> Pablo
>
> From: www.indymedia.org
> Demonstrations to reduce the cost of bus fare are strongly repressed
>
> Since the 30th of May people are demonstrating against the increase of
> the bus fare at the city of Florianopolis in the south of Brazil.
> Florianopolis has the most expensive tariff of the country, where some
> tickets are costing R$3,00. The minimum wage in Brazil is
> R$300,00(around US$100)
>
> Santa Catarina's State Government are treating the movement with a lot
> of repression. The police are attacking people with teargas bombs,
> rubber bullets and pepper spray. Three militants from the Movimento 
> pelo
> Passe-Livre (Free Pass Movement) were arrested and they were only
> liberated after paying a bail of R$4.500,00 (around US$2.000). Even so,
> they are still facing charges.
>
> The Passe Livre Movement started years ago demanding free 
> transportation
> for students. In 2004 it led to ten days of demonstrations where tens 
> of
> thousands of citizens blocked the streets of Florianopolis to oppose 
> the
> rise in bus fares. Demonstrations will continue throughout the week.
>
> Send messages condemning the police violence and the imprisonment of 
> the
> militants to:
>
> Public Security Secretary - Ronaldo Benedet
> Phone: 55 48 251-1113
> Fax: 55 48 251-1120
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Santa Catarina Governor - Luiz Henrique da Silveira
> Phone: 55 48 221-3186
> Fax: 55 48 221-3137
> [log in to unmask]
>
>