Story by Ben Tavener
Brazil’s federal police are continuing to investigate last Thursday's violent protests in Rio de Janeiro, which left a cameraman brain dead.
Santiago Ilídio Andrade, 49, was covering the protests for the Bandeirantes TV station when he was hit by a flare.
A demonstrator, 22-year-old Fábio Raposo, has since come forward with information to the police, claiming that he didn't shoot the flare but provided it to another young protester who did. Raposo has since been arrested while police continue searching for other suspects involved.
Raposo's attorney, Jonas Tadeu Nunes, said his client had subsequently identified the individual who was accused of launching the rocket. Nunes hopes that a charge of attempted homicide, with which police have charged him, could be lessened to one of causing serious injury in exchange for further cooperation.
Police official José Pedro Costa told reporters that the main aim was now “to identify the person responsible for setting off the device which hit Santiago”.
Doctors treating Santiago Andrade announced on Monday that he remains in a coma and have declared him brain dead.
President Rousseff released a statement on her official Twitter account, labeling the case as 'revolting and saddening'. She also issued a warning to those who sought to use protests to break the law.
Such people, Rousseff said, have 'perverted' the fundamental right to protest as enshrined in the country's democratic values.
The demonstrations had initially been called against a 10-cent increase in bus fares. Police launched tear gas and stun grenades to disperse crowds; some protesters threw stones and petrol bombs at officers.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
