Rio de Janeiro could be left out of the Live Earth Concerts - But There's Still Hope

Filed in archive Latin News on July 5, 2007

Rio de Janeiro could be left out of the Live Earth concerts, a mega-show that it will take place in seven different countries. The concert's goal is to call the world's attention to global warming issues. At this point, the show is suspended, under a court injunction.

The public prosecutor's office, who asked for the cancellation, considers "an irresponsibility" to take 700.000 people to Copacabana's Beach without a trustworthy security plan. Another argument of the prosecutors: if the show is in defense of the environment, it cannot contribute to degrade it.

But there's still hope. The Military Police reviewed its security strategy, in order to be able to allow the Live Earth Rio de Janeiro concert, and another event, which will take place near by at the same day. According to the M.P., shifting the other event to another location will allow the available forces to patrol the area. The M.P. is reorganizing the number of policemen that will be disclosed this Friday.

With the Military Policy report, RioTur - municipal tourism authority in charge of the event - will ask the court to overrule its prior decision.

"We got the authorization from Rio military police today, guaranteeing security at the event, and we attached it to a request for the court to reconsider its decision," a spokesman for RioTur, said on Thursday. "With these necessary explanations RioTur expects to reverse the current ban and carry on with the Live Earth show."

According to the prosecutor's office, the Military Police previously informed that they didn't had conditions to guarantee the necessary security measures to the show, and that security wasn't the only issue. The Police must control the sales of alcoholic beverages, to prevent alcohol consumption by under age kids, and control drug use.

Environment defender Denise Tarin said that if the court injunction suspending the show is overruled, and the show finally takes place, the Public Ministry is going to evaluate the environmental damage caused by the show, and to demand indemnities, which will be invested in the National Environment Fund.

Besides the indemnity, the promoter announced that the Ministry will appeal the decision in the Supreme Court. "The magnitude of the environmental impact is proportional to the presence of 700.000 people (expected in the event)", explained Tarin. The concert organizers initially spoke about 600.000 people.

The promoters also question the Live Earth concerts intentions to call the world's attention for global warming, and, even so, to cause such an environmental impact in the region.

Source: Globo.com