Protesters Hold Pro-Palestinian March in Rio Ahead of G20 Summit

AFP/APP

Rio de Janeiro:  Hundreds of protesters staged a pro-Palestinian march in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, aiming to send a message to world leaders convening in the city for the upcoming G20 summit.

The demonstration, held peacefully despite persistent rain, took place along Copacabana Beach under the watchful eyes of police and soldiers deployed for summit security.

The G20 summit, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, will bring together leaders including US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss global issues.

Protesters, some wearing keffiyeh scarves, carried Palestinian flags and banners, including one that read, “Break Brazil-Israel Relations,” while urging Israel’s allies to cease military funding for operations in Gaza and Lebanon.

“We’re here to challenge the G20 summit’s narrative,” said Tania Arantes, a 60-year-old member of a Brazilian union organizing the event. Arantes highlighted that the protest encompassed broader leftist issues such as climate change, poverty reduction, and taxing the super-rich.

Veterinarian Giancarlo Pereira, 43, connected these issues to the Palestinian cause, stating, “The big companies fueling the war in Gaza are the billionaires of the world.”

Nearby, activists placed 733 plates with red crosses in the sand to represent the 733 million people globally suffering from hunger, as reported by the UN last year.

Later that day, a separate protest by the Articulation of Indigenous People of Brazil focused on the lack of meaningful climate action by wealthy nations.