In 1966, the União Nacional dos Estudantes (UNE) declared September 22 the National Day of Struggle against the Dictatorship. Although outlawed during the government of general Castello Branco, the organization continued to be the main articulator of the student movement at the time. Marches were called throughout the country, demanding an end to police violence and the non-payment of fees and tuition at public universities.
In Rio de Janeiro, men from the Military Police (PM) and the Department of Political and Social Order (Dops) occupied the city's streets in order to prevent the demonstrations. The students, anticipating the confrontation, held the march on the Praia Vermelha campus of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). The demonstration set out from the School of Economics and was joined by more than 600 high school and college students. When they reached the School of Medicine building, they decided to occupy it.
Students occupy the Faculty of Medicine building, in a demonstration on the “National Day of Struggle against the Dictatorship” – 09/22/1966 – Kaoru. Jornal do Brasil.
Image description: The image is a black and white photograph. Three people are standing on a building's balcony. The person on the far left is holding a large sheet, while the person in the middle and the one on the right help keep the sheet open. The sheet has a geometric pattern and a strip with white letters. The building has decorative architectural details at the bottom.Military Police and Dops troops were already gathering at the site when parents and teachers of the demonstrators began to arrive. Worried about a possible clash, they formed a support and negotiation committee. They tried to convince the students to leave the building, while also bringing them food and warm clothing. The negotiations were in vain, and the college was invaded by police forces during the early hours of the morning. Cornered, the young people took refuge on the top floor, but were forced out by tear gas bombs.
After students occupied the Faculty of Medicine, hundreds of police officers and Dops agents were sent to the Praia Vermelha campus – 09/22/1966 – Kaoru. Jornal do Brasil.
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph showing a demonstration in Rio de Janeiro on September 22, 1966. On the left side, there is a truck with the license plate "DER" and the number "893262." On top of the truck, several people are sitting. In the background, there are more identical trucks, also occupied by people. On the right, there is an old car parked. In the background, there are buildings and trees.However, there was only one route via the stairs. Upon arriving there, they realized it was an ambush: armed with batons, the police formed a gauntlet that the students inevitably had to pass through. Men and women were beaten indiscriminately, and many were arrested; the school's laboratories, classrooms, and lecture halls were completely destroyed by the Military Police. The violence used in what became known as the Massacre of Praia Vermelha led to a cooling-off of mass student demonstrations, which would not happen again until 1968.
