Brazilian Senator Cid Gomes Shot in the Chest by Protesters
(Photo : Stocksnap)

On Wednesday, a senator from Brazil was shot while trying to calm an illegal strike conducted by a group of military police. The protest was held at the Northeastern state of Ceara. The chaotic scene of the rally was recorded on video, according to Fox News. 

The Condition of Cid Gomes According to His Doctors

Cid Gomes, also the governor of the state, was hit in the chest and was brought immediately to the medical center in the area. 

According to the statement released by the medical center where Gomes was treated, they said that he is already in a stable condition. 

The Sequence of the Events that Led to a Gunshot Being Fired at Gomes

It was shown in a video that Gomes was operating a backhoe. He went through the gate of a police barrack. It was shown in the video that as the governor was driving the vehicle, the backhoe's windows shattered due to a gunshot. 

They identified the location of the gunman when the shots were fired. 

Before deciding to intervene in the protest held by a group of military police, Cid Gomes had shared a video on the social media platform Twitter. In the video, he expressed his anger and asked the public to support him and assist him in ending the strike.

At his arrival at the protest, he was seen by the public using a bullhorn and giving out a warning to the group to protesters. He gave them an order. He said that he was only giving them five minutes to stop what they are doing and he will not give an extension. 

Many of the protesters intervened in Gomes' speech in the rally. The protester said that Gomes was not authorized to stop or intervene in the rally conducted by the group. 

A few moments later, Gomes decided on the next big thing he can think of to end the rally. He decided to operate a backhoe to destroy the barricade that was built by the group of protesters.

The Root of the Rally

The protests had started on Tuesday. The group of military officers decided to conduct a strike due to their unfair wages. 

The military police of Brazil are the ones who are tasked to patrol the streets of the country. According to the law of Brazil, they are prohibited by the law of the land to hold a strike. 

A few hours before a Cid Gomes was hit by a gunshot, Brazilian authorities will not allow the conduct of illegal strikes in the country, said the Public Security Secretary. 

According to the state secretary, a few of the 260 officers involved in the rally were already being investigated. Also, it was ruled that the police personnel who participate in strikes will not be granted their salary. 

Additionally, they are under the possibility that they will get fired from their work as part of the Brazilian police force.

 Sergio Moro, the Justice, and Public Minister had released a public announcement on Wednesday evening saying that it will not order federal forces to control the protests. Also, federal highway police and federal police were assigned on a mission in Sobral to serve as Gomes' security.

The Brazil Forum of Public Security, a non-government organization that records national crime statistics are against the violence involved with the rally. The organization said that regardless of the lawfulness of their demands involving their salaries, their acts are unacceptable for spreading panic and fear to citizens.