[9min Xvid 27MB] Short video of an impromptu solidarity demo for the community of Prestes Maia. British squatters speak out for 468 families under threat of gentrification inspired eviction in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The demo took place at the Brazilian Embassy in London on 16th Feb 2006.
Previous articles about Prestes Maia...
Demonstration report and photos
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/333818.html
Feature - Squatters United Against Global Gentrification
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/333663.html
Brazilian IMC video about Prestes Maia (english subs available)
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/333849.html
Prestes Maia eviction postponed
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/333700.html
Prestes Maia blog site (Portuguese)
http://www.ocupacaoprestesmaia.zip.net/
Time-stamped english transcripts of the video can be found below.
Portuguese translations and screening quality version to follow.
If you do a translation, please email us a copy to real2reel AT riseup DOT net
--- EDL starts here ---
00:00:00:22 00:00:03:09 We're at the Brazilian Embassy
00:00:03:28 00:00:08:20 We're here because there is a hugesquatted tower rise in Brazil...
00:00:08:19 00:00:10:02 that is getting evicted.
00:00:10:15 00:00:11:26 We heard about it at the last minute.
00:00:11:28 00:00:13:25 and just want to make a noise about it.
00:00:15:10 00:00:18:20 Thank you very much, I have my own rights thank you.
00:00:22:09 00:00:24:17 Who is organising this?
00:00:25:09 00:00:28:05 - We all are. - We are all organised.
00:00:30:04 00:00:33:21 You want to demonstrate you can,but we'll do it lawfully and peacefully.
00:00:37:25 00:00:39:10 Portuguese or English?
00:00:39:13 00:00:40:21 Just English?
00:00:41:01 00:00:42:20 Are you security, Sir?
00:00:42:19 00:00:44:02 No, but I'm from the Embassy.
00:00:44:01 00:00:46:16 Oh, well, there you are. If you have a quick chat.
00:00:46:19 00:00:48:20 ... about the people being evicted.
00:00:48:19 00:00:50:01 People evicted?
00:00:50:00 00:00:51:03 In Prestes Maia, Sao Paulo
00:00:59:28 00:01:04:20 To talk about Prestes Maia, the communityin Sao Paulo which is under threat of eviction.
00:01:05:23 00:01:08:19 We'd like to come insideand talk to you about that.
00:01:08:20 00:01:10:27 We want to make surethat you know about that.
00:01:11:07 00:01:14:08 I don't know about the subject, but people from the Embassy might know.
00:01:14:16 00:01:19:09 If they don't know, the person in charge of human rights will listen to you...
00:01:19:16 00:01:22:11 they'll try to know about it, and then they will do what they should do.
00:01:26:01 00:01:27:02 Nice picture of Lula
00:01:29:07 00:01:32:26 This ones the officer for human rights.
00:01:40:07 00:01:43:05 I deal with human rights, social issues and the environment at the Embassy
00:01:44:09 00:01:51:10 We're concerned about the threat of eviction to 468 families in a squatted highrise in Sao Paulo.
00:01:52:04 00:01:56:00 - The taxes he owes is more that what...?- the buildings worth
00:01:56:00 00:01:59:09 Apparently under Brazilian constitutional law...
00:01:59:19 00:02:05:21 this gives grounds for the authorities to nationalise the building,
00:02:06:10 00:02:13:04 Instead of doing that they have arranged to send in the military police to evict the building.
00:02:14:00 00:02:18:04 We are very very concerned that should an eviction take place, that it will be a violent one.
00:02:18:03 00:02:24:01 in your role as a human rights officers, this is one of your concerns... that noone gets wounded or shot or anything in the process
00:02:24:10 00:02:28:01 I won't be the person who can solve everything, the case there, but...
00:02:28:28 00:02:35:16 what we can do is to convey your message tothe special secretary for human rights in Brazil
00:02:35:16 00:02:37:27 and say that there are concerned people here...
00:02:37:26 00:02:41:08 that they knew about the situation, that they are following the news...
00:02:41:07 00:02:44:01 that they are aware that these people would be evicted in two months time.
00:02:44:04 00:02:52:11 a good solution would be either if social housing is provided for people if they do get evicted
00:02:52:10 00:02:57:26 or that this building does come into public hands
00:02:58:04 00:03:03:25 housing problems are not only related to these people who are in this building but everybody,
00:03:03:23 00:03:07:26 if you think about the favelas, all the othersin the roofless movement ..
00:03:07:25 00:03:13:07 But these people have solved their housing problem and built a community!
00:03:14:09 00:03:17:17 The whole of the downtown area of Sao Paulo is really degenerating...
00:03:17:16 00:03:23:19 and this is why the former mayor and now this one, are trying to regenerate.
00:03:23:17 00:03:28:27 We've seen the process of so called 'regeneration' which means...
00:03:28:26 00:03:32:14 pushing out the low income families
00:03:32:13 00:03:38:17 and the people who'd been living in a particular area of London for generations...
00:03:38:23 00:03:42:01 and then gettings pushed out, and they end up living in the suburbs.
00:03:42:00 00:03:47:13 The people with the high powered jobs,and only want to travel fifteen minutes to work
00:03:47:25 00:03:53:21 and can afford the inflated prices of propertyin the regenerated areas...
00:03:53:20 00:03:54:23 are the only ones who live there.
00:03:54:22 00:04:01:01 When they are talking about regeneration, gentrification, that means exclusion.
00:04:01:21 00:04:05:03 In terms of regeneration in Brazil, the governments would be involved.
00:04:05:17 00:04:11:01 Because we have these problems in our big cities, people would always think about this.
00:04:11:08 00:04:15:15 The community themselves would go and say, 'you have to take a look at this'.
00:04:16:04 00:04:22:19 When you are in a rich countrythings tend to be more market regulated...
00:04:23:03 00:04:27:07 But in our case there would be a very strong role by the government.
00:04:27:10 00:04:28:01 It would be nice to think that...
00:04:28:00 00:04:31:26 but the guy that owns this building is a very successful multimillionaire
00:04:31:25 00:04:37:10 despite the fact that he's been evading taxes,or probably because he's been evading taxes.
00:04:38:03 00:04:44:03 So when you are talking about a building that's worth a huge amount in the centre of Sao Paulo...
00:04:44:02 00:04:53:01 it's easy to see that decisions might be made on market considerations rather than social ones.
00:04:53:08 00:04:57:23 I am going to send this information. I am going to say that you were here and you were worried etc.
00:04:58:14 00:05:02:25 I'm just reminded. You know Racionais MC’sthe rap band from Sao Paulo?
00:05:03:09 00:05:08:17 They've got a great track which is called,'Periferia É Periferia, Qual que foi?'
00:05:08:16 00:05:13:08 I think that's why we're here, the periphery is the periphery everywhere you go.
00:05:13:20 00:05:16:01 And that's the root of our solidarity really.
00:05:16:17 00:05:18:01 You know how to samba?
00:05:18:14 00:05:20:21 You should know to do it.
00:05:37:16 00:05:41:11 If we are any kind of network at all -if we are going to create any kind of free...
00:05:41:09 00:05:45:04 open space community around the world.We need to show solidarity all around the world
00:05:45:04 00:05:47:15 and we can share experience,we can share strength.
00:05:48:01 00:05:51:25 We need to make this movement much bigger than just in London, or just in any town.
00:05:56:08 00:06:01:01 It's important to show people here that there are other people that care about people in Brazil.
00:06:01:00 00:06:06:07 and that we agree with themtaking on land when they have no land.
00:06:17:20 00:06:23:02 Getting a stable place is for people a chance to have a life...
00:06:23:16 00:06:28:00 and if that is taken away then those people don't have a chance to live.
00:06:28:04 00:06:32:07 Everywhere in the world,against gentrification, against evictions.
00:06:42:23 00:06:46:00 I'm here because I really love Brazilians!
00:06:46:19 00:06:49:10 Brazil was my home for two and a half years.
00:06:49:09 00:06:51:25 So I wanted to send some solidarity back.
00:06:52:00 00:06:55:10 And show some of that same generosity.
00:07:11:07 00:07:13:13 Keep fighting and keep occupying !
00:07:24:11 00:07:26:09 Keep on being disobedient.
00:07:39:00 00:07:41:01 Good luck and keep fighting!
00:07:52:10 00:07:54:03 You're going to stay there!
00:08:05:09 00:08:09:05 real2reel @ riseup.net
Demonstration report and photos
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/333818.html Feature - Squatters United Against Global Gentrification
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/333663.html Brazilian IMC video about Prestes Maia (english subs available)
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/333849.html Prestes Maia eviction postponed
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/02/333700.html Prestes Maia blog site (Portuguese)
http://www.ocupacaoprestesmaia.zip.net/ Time-stamped english transcripts of the video can be found below.
Portuguese translations and screening quality version to follow.
If you do a translation, please email us a copy to real2reel AT riseup DOT net
--- EDL starts here ---
00:00:00:22 00:00:03:09 We're at the Brazilian Embassy
00:00:03:28 00:00:08:20 We're here because there is a hugesquatted tower rise in Brazil...
00:00:08:19 00:00:10:02 that is getting evicted.
00:00:10:15 00:00:11:26 We heard about it at the last minute.
00:00:11:28 00:00:13:25 and just want to make a noise about it.
00:00:15:10 00:00:18:20 Thank you very much, I have my own rights thank you.
00:00:22:09 00:00:24:17 Who is organising this?
00:00:25:09 00:00:28:05 - We all are. - We are all organised.
00:00:30:04 00:00:33:21 You want to demonstrate you can,but we'll do it lawfully and peacefully.
00:00:37:25 00:00:39:10 Portuguese or English?
00:00:39:13 00:00:40:21 Just English?
00:00:41:01 00:00:42:20 Are you security, Sir?
00:00:42:19 00:00:44:02 No, but I'm from the Embassy.
00:00:44:01 00:00:46:16 Oh, well, there you are. If you have a quick chat.
00:00:46:19 00:00:48:20 ... about the people being evicted.
00:00:48:19 00:00:50:01 People evicted?
00:00:50:00 00:00:51:03 In Prestes Maia, Sao Paulo
00:00:59:28 00:01:04:20 To talk about Prestes Maia, the communityin Sao Paulo which is under threat of eviction.
00:01:05:23 00:01:08:19 We'd like to come insideand talk to you about that.
00:01:08:20 00:01:10:27 We want to make surethat you know about that.
00:01:11:07 00:01:14:08 I don't know about the subject, but people from the Embassy might know.
00:01:14:16 00:01:19:09 If they don't know, the person in charge of human rights will listen to you...
00:01:19:16 00:01:22:11 they'll try to know about it, and then they will do what they should do.
00:01:26:01 00:01:27:02 Nice picture of Lula
00:01:29:07 00:01:32:26 This ones the officer for human rights.
00:01:40:07 00:01:43:05 I deal with human rights, social issues and the environment at the Embassy
00:01:44:09 00:01:51:10 We're concerned about the threat of eviction to 468 families in a squatted highrise in Sao Paulo.
00:01:52:04 00:01:56:00 - The taxes he owes is more that what...?- the buildings worth
00:01:56:00 00:01:59:09 Apparently under Brazilian constitutional law...
00:01:59:19 00:02:05:21 this gives grounds for the authorities to nationalise the building,
00:02:06:10 00:02:13:04 Instead of doing that they have arranged to send in the military police to evict the building.
00:02:14:00 00:02:18:04 We are very very concerned that should an eviction take place, that it will be a violent one.
00:02:18:03 00:02:24:01 in your role as a human rights officers, this is one of your concerns... that noone gets wounded or shot or anything in the process
00:02:24:10 00:02:28:01 I won't be the person who can solve everything, the case there, but...
00:02:28:28 00:02:35:16 what we can do is to convey your message tothe special secretary for human rights in Brazil
00:02:35:16 00:02:37:27 and say that there are concerned people here...
00:02:37:26 00:02:41:08 that they knew about the situation, that they are following the news...
00:02:41:07 00:02:44:01 that they are aware that these people would be evicted in two months time.
00:02:44:04 00:02:52:11 a good solution would be either if social housing is provided for people if they do get evicted
00:02:52:10 00:02:57:26 or that this building does come into public hands
00:02:58:04 00:03:03:25 housing problems are not only related to these people who are in this building but everybody,
00:03:03:23 00:03:07:26 if you think about the favelas, all the othersin the roofless movement ..
00:03:07:25 00:03:13:07 But these people have solved their housing problem and built a community!
00:03:14:09 00:03:17:17 The whole of the downtown area of Sao Paulo is really degenerating...
00:03:17:16 00:03:23:19 and this is why the former mayor and now this one, are trying to regenerate.
00:03:23:17 00:03:28:27 We've seen the process of so called 'regeneration' which means...
00:03:28:26 00:03:32:14 pushing out the low income families
00:03:32:13 00:03:38:17 and the people who'd been living in a particular area of London for generations...
00:03:38:23 00:03:42:01 and then gettings pushed out, and they end up living in the suburbs.
00:03:42:00 00:03:47:13 The people with the high powered jobs,and only want to travel fifteen minutes to work
00:03:47:25 00:03:53:21 and can afford the inflated prices of propertyin the regenerated areas...
00:03:53:20 00:03:54:23 are the only ones who live there.
00:03:54:22 00:04:01:01 When they are talking about regeneration, gentrification, that means exclusion.
00:04:01:21 00:04:05:03 In terms of regeneration in Brazil, the governments would be involved.
00:04:05:17 00:04:11:01 Because we have these problems in our big cities, people would always think about this.
00:04:11:08 00:04:15:15 The community themselves would go and say, 'you have to take a look at this'.
00:04:16:04 00:04:22:19 When you are in a rich countrythings tend to be more market regulated...
00:04:23:03 00:04:27:07 But in our case there would be a very strong role by the government.
00:04:27:10 00:04:28:01 It would be nice to think that...
00:04:28:00 00:04:31:26 but the guy that owns this building is a very successful multimillionaire
00:04:31:25 00:04:37:10 despite the fact that he's been evading taxes,or probably because he's been evading taxes.
00:04:38:03 00:04:44:03 So when you are talking about a building that's worth a huge amount in the centre of Sao Paulo...
00:04:44:02 00:04:53:01 it's easy to see that decisions might be made on market considerations rather than social ones.
00:04:53:08 00:04:57:23 I am going to send this information. I am going to say that you were here and you were worried etc.
00:04:58:14 00:05:02:25 I'm just reminded. You know Racionais MC’sthe rap band from Sao Paulo?
00:05:03:09 00:05:08:17 They've got a great track which is called,'Periferia É Periferia, Qual que foi?'
00:05:08:16 00:05:13:08 I think that's why we're here, the periphery is the periphery everywhere you go.
00:05:13:20 00:05:16:01 And that's the root of our solidarity really.
00:05:16:17 00:05:18:01 You know how to samba?
00:05:18:14 00:05:20:21 You should know to do it.
00:05:37:16 00:05:41:11 If we are any kind of network at all -if we are going to create any kind of free...
00:05:41:09 00:05:45:04 open space community around the world.We need to show solidarity all around the world
00:05:45:04 00:05:47:15 and we can share experience,we can share strength.
00:05:48:01 00:05:51:25 We need to make this movement much bigger than just in London, or just in any town.
00:05:56:08 00:06:01:01 It's important to show people here that there are other people that care about people in Brazil.
00:06:01:00 00:06:06:07 and that we agree with themtaking on land when they have no land.
00:06:17:20 00:06:23:02 Getting a stable place is for people a chance to have a life...
00:06:23:16 00:06:28:00 and if that is taken away then those people don't have a chance to live.
00:06:28:04 00:06:32:07 Everywhere in the world,against gentrification, against evictions.
00:06:42:23 00:06:46:00 I'm here because I really love Brazilians!
00:06:46:19 00:06:49:10 Brazil was my home for two and a half years.
00:06:49:09 00:06:51:25 So I wanted to send some solidarity back.
00:06:52:00 00:06:55:10 And show some of that same generosity.
00:07:11:07 00:07:13:13 Keep fighting and keep occupying !
00:07:24:11 00:07:26:09 Keep on being disobedient.
00:07:39:00 00:07:41:01 Good luck and keep fighting!
00:07:52:10 00:07:54:03 You're going to stay there!
00:08:05:09 00:08:09:05 real2reel @ riseup.net
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