MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Brazilian police tells tourists that if attacked “don't fight, scream or argue”
If attacked in Brazil: “Don't fight, scream or argue”. That's the advice being offered to tourists by São Paulo Civil Police ahead of this year's World Cup games which authorities have revealed will be enforced by armored, “RoboCop”-styled riot police. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesDon't fight, scream or argue ? Does this mean that you just stand there and let them beat the crap out of you?
May 17th, 2014 - 09:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0Welcome to Brazil !
So the logic of this article is to wear “ stellar ” sleek body armor if you are riding a horse, or if you are a tourist ? Invincible !.
May 17th, 2014 - 09:34 am - Link - Report abuse 0( Just don't scream ) I think I would scream trying to take this off in our heat and humidity as my skin stuck to the inside.
On the other hand, perhaps I can purchase one for the next big Lojas Americanas sale, and battle my way to the head of the line !
@1 Stand and bend over, seems to be the advice.
May 17th, 2014 - 09:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0Elaine, remember the World Cup is first next month...
May 17th, 2014 - 10:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0This advise seems to imply that the stadiums will be finished....yet, those pesky construction crews keep loitering around.
May 17th, 2014 - 10:30 am - Link - Report abuse 0As I posted on another thread, the stadia are not finished and the construction companies have said the one where England plays Uruguay will not be completed in time.
May 17th, 2014 - 11:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0I am trying to picture a situation where footie tribes (because supporters tend to act like a tribe when together), fuelled by beer and bravado, will meekly hand over their wallets to Brazilian muggers. I have been to a Boca Juniors match and I cannot imagine their supporters acquiescing but rather fighting back.
There should be a pop-up window giving that advice just before you commit to buying your plane ticket to Brazil and you must agree to it before you can proceed with the purchase.
May 17th, 2014 - 11:46 am - Link - Report abuse 03rd world craziness.
yanqui, what are you talking about?
May 17th, 2014 - 12:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0After reading Elaine's #3, you ordered three tickets to Rio, just in case...
You felt you needed some guarantees?
“the country, which has been labelled “critical” for crime by the US Department of State for the last 25 years.”
May 17th, 2014 - 12:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The people who go to the WC deserve everything they get since they have gone against the advice of every country in the world.
Stupid!
ln the Philippines, l had a .25“ automatic which is common there.
May 17th, 2014 - 12:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Filipinos called it a ”señorita” & it is carried in a your handbag.
You don't pull it out & confront your would be muggers.
You reach into the bag to get your purse(they think to give it to them)& you fire through your bag.
Thankfully, l never had to use it.
Yes, just stand ill and silent while you are being assaulted and robbed. That is the behavior that must be followed by all Brazilians in respect to its government, too. No reacting at all or face the consequences!
May 17th, 2014 - 02:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@ 10 lsolde
May 17th, 2014 - 05:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You were very fortunate not to have to use that pistol.
An 0.25 ACP is a very low power calibre and would most like piss off a burly Brazilian attacker (or anybody who is high on adrenalin or drugs) with fatal results to the shooter.
A 9 mm sub-compact (small frame, semi-auto) would do you, as well as “doing” your attacker, especially if aimed at the centre of the chest and fired two or three times.
Something to think about if you go back to visit. :o)
#1 Clyde,
May 17th, 2014 - 08:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0'Don't fight, scream or argue', or bend over.
What they mean is, when the gun is pointing straight at your face at 1 metre away and he has got his hand out for your wallet, don't do anything stupid - it's only money and the risk is that you will die.
I have been there, as have a number of my friends. The ones that die try to fight with their fists ... because that's what they do at football matches. Wrong tactic.
@ 13 GeoffWard2
May 17th, 2014 - 09:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Where you carrying at the time?
Are you allowed to shoot the perp as he is running away, without being charged with a crime?
'Brazilian police tells tourists that if attacked “don't fight, scream or argue” '
May 17th, 2014 - 11:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0And that's dealing with the police! 80% of Brazilians fear torture if arrested by their police. Stevie keeps highlighting this on another thread.
I'm guessing if actual criminals get hold of you then you do bend over as Elaine said.
That's so you can kiss your arse goodbye.
I was being flippant, Geoff. Of course when faced with a weapon your wallet is less valuable than your life. That the Brazilian police expect this to happen is the worrying aspect.
May 18th, 2014 - 09:29 am - Link - Report abuse 0England supporters fulled by beer not saying a word and freely giving there wallets over.
May 18th, 2014 - 12:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Yeah, not going to happen.
@17 Not just England supporters. As I said before, I can't imagine many Argentine footie supporters rolling over. They are fanatical.
May 18th, 2014 - 12:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0In Brazil today nobody goes to the streets carrying valuables because there is a risk of being robbed.
May 18th, 2014 - 12:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Enjoy the weather. Dress in light clothing, enjoy the differences without prejudice, smile at people, be aware of the environment around you, always walk together (preferably with a beautiful woman), take only the necessary money for small expenses, give preference to credit card. Try not to get around the city at rush hour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVRJrPwYlgo
I think wants it gets going, the cup will be a successs.
May 18th, 2014 - 02:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Win, lose or draw, who ever goes there is in for one hell of a thing the Brazilians are famous for, throwing a party.
For those who like, football, I am not one one, money ruined it for me, enjoy!
It will be over before you know it.
*10 I think you have been watching too many Dirty Harry movies!! ummmm!!!
May 18th, 2014 - 11:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The police are going on strike during the World Cup.
May 19th, 2014 - 01:51 am - Link - Report abuse 0Hmmmm..... This could prove interesting. ....
popcorn anyone?
Meanwhile the chief concern of the UK government is not street muggings but that their subjects may decide to express their national character by raping Brazilian children. It is so worried about this outcome that it has been mandated that planes flying from the UK to Brazil show clips which are designed to dissuade the Brits from practicing pedophilia.
May 19th, 2014 - 03:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0The Brazilian is plainly trying to convince Brits from the UK not to go to Brazil. I have seen a report that the top three ticket purchases by country are the US, Australia and Columbia. So, it appears, they have been successful. But what the Brazilian government may not understand is that Australia is a British country so the problem of pedophilia may still occur.
As a postscript it seems that the Brazilians themselves are not very engaged with the WC. For instance, see (in English):
http://www.riogringa.com/my_weblog/2014/05/why-arent-brazilians-excited-the-world-cup.html
DO carry money with you, in case you are assaulted and are not carrying any good amount of money, you will pay with your life!!
May 19th, 2014 - 03:50 am - Link - Report abuse 0Hepatia
May 19th, 2014 - 04:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0Nice to see your posts are still as comical as ever
@21 somethingsunshine,
May 19th, 2014 - 08:13 am - Link - Report abuse 0Prob shouldn't answer you as its just feeding the Trolls,
but l will anyway.
l don't have to justify myself to you, so get stuffed!
The most accurate post I have seen on the subject of security for Brasil is Nr. 19 from meu irmão, our very own Brasileiro !!!
May 19th, 2014 - 08:18 am - Link - Report abuse 0His valid suggestion should be looked on a good, solid advice for anyone here in Brasil, including us, and not only the coming masses of World Cup tourists. This is exactly how most of us travel around in the cities of Brasil in the last decade, not to mention parts of Los Angeles, or New York, USA, UK London's East End, or even certain sections of Berlin, DE.
If you are one of the fortunate visitors coming down here soon, leave all your trappings of affluent living behind. You will not need to take your IPhone, or IPad to Maracanã stadium, or Copacabana, or Leme beach to make an impression. Lock it up in the hotel or leave it behind, as you can stay in touch online via the Hotel computers.
Levis's, the other Gringo trademark, when coupled with brown wing tips and plaid sox are out too, especially at the beach. I would suggest shorts, sandals. the minimal amount of local money, and a loose WC team shirt of your choosing.
I cannot advise you to get a bit of colour on that toothpaste looking body, as I normally would. Most of you will not be amongst us here long enough to get anything more than a bright pink, red, or Atomic-purple sunburn.
Try our food, try our beer, try the caiprinihas. Stay cool and calm, and plan on 3x extra time as the traffic will be incredible. Most Brasilians frown on hearing “ Take this away, I don't like it ” which they know and recognize.
Just get out there, use common sense, enjoy the games, and have fun.
Comparing safety in Brazil's large cities to New York, London and Berlin!
May 19th, 2014 - 08:33 am - Link - Report abuse 0Bahahahahahahahaha
If you wanna compare like for like, none of these cities have anything like the unlawfulness or danger of the favelas.
I suspect the footie fans will be corralled into safer areas.
May 19th, 2014 - 09:13 am - Link - Report abuse 0@27 “If you are one of the fortunate visitors coming down here soon, leave all your trappings of affluent living behind. You will not need to take your IPhone, or IPad to Maracanã stadium, or Copacabana, or Leme beach to make an impression. Lock it up in the hotel or leave it behind, as you can stay in touch online via the Hotel computers.”
Other than the locations this is pretty much the advice hotels give to visitors in Buenos Aires.
It is true that if you just look at mugging or pickpocketing then it could apply to most large cities. (For example, I don't know of a single friend who had visited Madrid without having something stolen or snatched). However, serious crime is far more likely to occur in Brazil.
Oi Anglotino -
May 19th, 2014 - 09:22 am - Link - Report abuse 0Forgive me, you must be correct.
I did not know that any of the World Cup venues were being held in any of the Favelas, secured or not.
Exactly whom did you buy your tickets from ? Oh, none then ? Ahhh.... Apparently you are not coming to join us.
Congratulations BOTINHO! You were brilliant as always.
May 19th, 2014 - 10:34 am - Link - Report abuse 0Thanks, my Brasilian colleagues. It comes better from you than it would from me. And every road passes favelas - avoid the 'shortcuts'.
May 19th, 2014 - 01:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0GPS won't tell you about the 'hood.
Remember: 99% great, 1% evil - but the 1% will view the WC and the Olympics as 'opportunities'.
Aah Botinho
May 19th, 2014 - 01:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I never claimed the World Cup was being held in any favelas. But none of the cities you listed have favelas either. I've never heard if the army “retaking” neighbourhoods in Germany, the UK or USA in preparation for a big event.
But somehow you tried to equate crime in Brazilian cities with certain areas of London, New York, Los Angeles and Berlin. We both know crime is much worse in Brazilian cities outside the favelas than in the comparison cities you listed.
Having lived in 3 of those cities, I have never once had to worry about what I was wearing or hide my phone or anything. The fact that you admit this is standard practice in Brazil means you just proved my point.
And no I won't be attending the World a cup or even watching it. Soccer is not our national sport. Indeed it only comes in third as a national ball sport down under.
The difference between the civilized world and the 3rd world's large cities is that tourists can easily avoid sketchy parts of towns here but there you have slums abutting nice areas. You don't have to go too far from the beach in rio to get into some trouble and same goes for BA where the slums are around the train stations or camping out in the public squares they've take over.
May 19th, 2014 - 02:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I know a lot of football supporters will be looking forward to spending the night with a number of Brasilian women whilst they are in Brasil.
May 19th, 2014 - 03:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0This is fine, and you will find many women make themselves available - certainly many more than in Europe or the USA. Can I suggest that you use the motels that are there for that purpose. Just ask the taxi driver. You will have a great time and you should not be ripped off.
Brasilian women like a well presented man, and - unlike US/EU women - they are much more likely to suggest/agree to sex at the end of a day on the beach; they will certainly enjoy giving you a very good time once you get to the motel.
@ 35 GeoffWard2
May 19th, 2014 - 04:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You have just convinced me, Geoff! :o)
I hope Brazil gets eliminated in the first round it will be the best for Brazilians in the long term they will get rid of the workers party and Dilma will be out the people will again have economic advancement
May 20th, 2014 - 02:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0Anglotino-
May 20th, 2014 - 05:05 am - Link - Report abuse 0You are in need of more study in history, my friend.
Mexico City 1968:
Just ahead of the Olympics, what occurred ? How many died ?
Cities: So London, Berlin, or Los Angeles are completely safe ? Really ?
As an example, take the vast Los Angeles. Would you feel safe in Beverly Hills (LA County), Hollywood (LA City & County), or Watts or Compton (LA County) ?
Favelas are dangerous, but we don't as a rule go there. Nor do I advise visiting tourists to either for some freak-show excitement. This is not a tourist venue nor a area that most Brasilians would normally go into, or even near.
More accurately, only certain areas of areas of the cities named are safe. All have a history at one time of another of theft, muggings, and riots, over the years.
Which is our current situation here too in Brasil. And World Cup expenses according to “O Globo ” are now 97 % publicly funded.
Sorry you will not be coming. Enjoy the games safely on TV where you are.
Botinho
May 20th, 2014 - 10:24 am - Link - Report abuse 0Mexico in 1968 didn't have delusions of being a major power. Brazil in 2014 does.
And of course there is no such thing as a 100% safe city anywhere. But the crime rate in Brazil's major cities is much higher than any of the cities you listed. Even the worse parts of these cities are not equivalent to a favela.
The fact is that favelas are a part of Brazil's urban social structure. However you keep trying to ostracise and distance them from the cities that they are an integral part of. Watts or Compton together only have 130,000 people. There are estimates that 20% of Rio's population live in favelas. That is a huge difference. You quite literally exclude 20% of a city such as Rio's population as living in areas that most Brasilians would normally not go into, or even near.
There is no equivalent western city where people would warn you off the neighbourhoods that housed 20% of their population.
However even when you get out of the favelas the crime rate in Brazil is still horrific.
You started this by attempting to equate parts of New York, Los Angeles, London and Berlin to Brazil's main cities. Such a comparison was false. With a murder rate of 27 per 100,000, this is nowhere near the 4.7 per 100,000 people in the US (NYC 5.1 and LA 7.8). Which we consider ridiculously high as a developed country especially when compared to to Germany's 0.8 and Britain's 1.2.
I have travelled to the cities you mentioned and lived in 3 of them and NEVER felt unsafe. You have offered some sound advice for the cities in your country and then attempted to minimise its impact with a false comparison. I have travelled through 28 countries so know how to take precautions.
“More accurately, only certain areas of areas of the cities named are safe.”
And that is the difference, because only certain areas of cities in the US and UK are deemed unsafe.
I hope you enjoy the World Cup, living with 3 Colombians there will be plenty of screaming in my house. I'll go to the movies
https://www.glasgow2014.com/glasgow/top-tips-visitors-glasgow
May 20th, 2014 - 10:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0No need to bend over, but if a mugger holds you up, strongly recommend, if you value your life, just shut up and do as the mugger says...for them, who are a bunch of sociopaths, to kill you as as easy as having an 'expresso'.
May 20th, 2014 - 11:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“espresso” Jack, standards please!
May 21st, 2014 - 01:10 am - Link - Report abuse 0pedantically yours,
Ilsen
Anglotino -
May 21st, 2014 - 05:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0Nice attempt to brush off Mexico City and the 1968 Olympics.
Left-wing students & anarchists attempted to stop the Olympics, very similar to our World Cup. And how many were shot dead by the Mexican army ?
400 ?
500 ?
600 ?
700 ?
As a foreigner you also make the typical mistake dwelling on favelas.
Since you do not live here, and are using dubious wiki sources apparently to make your point, the favelas do not make up 20 % or more of Rio's population. They didn't when it was officially Estado da Guanabara, and they don't now as Estado do Rio. They are poor areas, slums in your English, and although found throughout Brasil and not just in Rio, represent 6 % of the population.
Under our current administration people ( the free food and support started under Lula which you decry ) people are moving out of the favelas and starting decent lives, while the criminal element remains. Hence the security measures recently taken there ahead of the World Cup.
I see that you state you have travelled through 28 countries, and know how to protect yourself. Enjoy your smug sense of safety and security.
@42 Ilsen...thanks for the correction...this got me looking up the origin of the word “eSpresso”, as versus “eXpresso” ; “eSpresso comes from Italian, meaning ”to press” (squeeze), which is what happens to the powder; some (here in Brazil) argue that “eXpresso should also be acepted, because it means ”quick, as in “express”...and, as IS the actual preparation of the beverage...however that is mere coincidence ; therefore, good sense says to stick to the original meaning of the word, and use “eSpresso”......
May 24th, 2014 - 03:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@44 Jack
May 25th, 2014 - 03:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0Lol!
Brilliant! I am so impressed that you bothered to investigate!
Equally here in Europe the two words (especially in multi-cultural London), have become virtually interchangable, the meaning of “press” and “fast” because here in London life can get quite intense and everyone just wants a 'fast', 'press' of some decent damn coffee right f*ckin now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, because “I have to go because I have to get to a meeting/train/childcare issue” etc.
haha!
Also here you have Turkish people serving Italian food, Slovaks in Greek places, Scandis working in Aussie bars, etc etc.
People often ask for 'two cappuccinos please' when of course it should be 'due cappuccini'.
However, everyone gets it, no one really minds, or even understands!
People still get their coffee. It's only pedants like me who notice!
It's all about communication. As long as it works, no harm done, I suppose.
Still, it always amuses me, when in Venezuela, to see signs for ' El Parking' (estacionamiento)........
:-(
No harm done, I guess I just like words, and have an interest in etymology. That said I have always been a cruciverbalist since young.
@45 Ilsen,...you're right, “”It's all about communication. As long as it works, no harm done, I suppose“”. ........ I virtually stopped speaking Spanish in my early teens (regret it now), however quite a bit comes back to me when I go down to BA, or to Uruguay, and have never had trouble communicating with anyone. At the same time, (Brazilian) Portuguese took over as the daily language.
May 25th, 2014 - 08:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“”Still, it always amuses me, when in Venezuela, to see signs for ' El Parking' (estacionamiento)........“”......It's quite common for the Brazilians to use English words, specially in certain subjects where all the novelties come from abroad (mostly from the USA), but they also like using , or adapting English, and other foreign words to names of shops, restaurants and of course, to parking lots....two of the largest chains in São Paulo, are named “EstaPark” and “MultiPark”..
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