Around 2,000 protesters gathered on Thursday in front of São Paulo City Hall to protest against the increase in public transportation fares in the capital. The protest, organized by the Free Pass Movement (MPL), saw the participation of student entities such as the National Union of Students (UNE) and other organizations.
The protest focused on Viaduto do Chá, in front of City Hall. A turnstile was set on fire by the protesters, who carried signs demanding free passes and criticizing Mayor Ricardo Nunes (MDB) and Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans). The protesters then marched through the streets of downtown, passing through Praça da República and ending the protest at Vale do Anhangabaú.
The fare for the metro and train increased from R$5 to R$5.20, while the bus fare in the capital went from R$4.40 to R$5. By around 7:40 pm, the Military Police, with the presence of the Shock Battalion, formed a cordon to block the protesters’ passage towards Terminal Bandeira and Anhangabaú station of Metro Line 3. Representatives of the Public Defender’s Office negotiated the passage’s release, and the protest ended peacefully around 8 pm.
The protest was called on the day the city hall announced the increase. The 13.6% adjustment in the bus fare is the largest in the past 10 years in São Paulo. The city hall claims that the fare increase is below the accumulated inflation since the last adjustment in 2020, around 32%. The MPL-SP argues that the price hike goes against the advancement of debates on the right to the city and in a country where 118 municipalities have some form of free fare.