The City of São Paulo and the state government have installed iron fences on Protestants Street to delimit the “cracolândia,” a gathering point for drug users in the downtown area of the state capital.
The measure, carried out on Tuesday, the 18th, was confirmed by Vice-Governor Felício Ramuth (PSD) to g1. The fences divide the street, allocating one-third of the space to drug users and the remaining two-thirds for vehicle traffic.
The installation was done by municipal employees. Joint action between government and city hall Ramuth explained that the action is part of a joint effort by Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos) and Mayor Ricardo Nunes (MDB).
“The goal is to free up part of the road for the transit of security and health vehicles, such as patrol cars and ambulances, as well as to improve the approach of health agents and social workers to the users,” he said.
Traffic is not yet open to the general public.In the morning period, “cracolândia” has between 200 and 300 people, a number that rises to between 600 and 800 at night, according to the Vice-Governor.
The decision to install the fences was made in weekly meetings between state and municipal agents from the health, social assistance, and security areas, led by Ramuth.
The measure will be monitored and can be revoked, depending on the results.The installation of fences is not unprecedented. In 2022, the city hall had already surrounded areas of Princess Isabel Square after the migration of the “cracolândia” to the location, justifying the action as part of a revitalization effort.
Public Defender’s Office concerned about violations of the rights of “cracolândia” usersRegion of “cracolândia” in São Paulo, where there is high drug consumption.
At the beginning of the month, the Public Defender’s Office of São Paulo questioned the city hall about “violations of rights” of “cracolândia” users, which were allegedly observed during a visit by the Specialized Nucleus of Citizenship and Human Rights (NCDH) in May.
The alleged violations include physical barriers, the presence of members of the Municipal Civil Guard in military formation, hostile approaches, forced removal of people, confiscation of belongings, and lack of basic sanitation.
In response, the municipal administration stated that the Civil Guard operates in the protection and support of subprefecture agents during daily urban cleaning in “cracolândia.
“Regarding the aggressive actions, the management stated that the Civil Guard “is guided by the principle of respecting life, the safety of supported agents, and public property, with trained technicians in its workforce to assess, in a proportional manner, when and how they should act in the sense of preserving life and order.”
