Thousands in Brazil protest order to remove 'propaganda'

[Judi Lynn]

Marcelo Silva De Sousa and Mauricio Savarese, Associated Press
Updated 7:51 pm CDT, Friday, October 26, 2018



Photo: Silvia Izquierdo, AP
  
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University students hold signs with message that read in Portuguese: "Not Him" and "My faith doesn't go with torture" during a protest of an electoral court order for universities to remove banners containing 'negative propaganda' against presidential frontrunner Jair Bolsonaro, in front of the Regional Electoral Tribunal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. The Brazilian Bar Association is criticizing the order, releasing a statement that reads the court's decision was an attempt to limit the freedom of expression of students and professors.


University students hold signs with message that read in Portuguese: "Not Him" and "My faith doesn't go with torture" during a protest of an electoral court order for universities to remove banners containing 'negative propaganda' against presidential frontrunner Jair Bolsonaro, in front of the Regional Electoral Tribunal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. The Brazilian Bar Association is criticizing the order, releasing a statement that reads the court's decision was an attempt to limit the freedom of expression of students and professors. Photo: Silvia Izquierdo, AP / Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Photo: Silvia Izquierdo, AP
IMAGE 1 OF 4
University students hold signs with message that read in Portuguese: "Not Him" and "My faith doesn't go with torture" during a protest of an electoral court order for universities to remove banners containing 'negative propaganda' against presidential frontrunner Jair Bolsonaro, in front of the Regional Electoral Tribunal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. The Brazilian Bar Association is criticizing the order, releasing a statement that reads the court's decision was an attempt to limit the freedom of expression of students and professors. less

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Two days before Brazil picks its next president, thousands gathered in front of Rio de Janeiro's electoral court on Friday to protest its ruling forcing universities to remove banners containing allegedly illegal electoral propaganda.

Electoral courts in six other states made similar moves, which led several top Brazilian judges to criticize the decisions as a blow to freedom of speech.

Witnesses say most of the material seized by authorities was either critical of front-runner Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters — although few mentioned the far-right candidate by name — or suggested he was a fascist. The former army captain denies he is a radical, but does praise Brazil's 1964-1985 military dictatorship.

Students and professors accused the Rio court of exercising censorship and working in favor of Bolsonaro, who leads all polls before Sunday's runoff.

More:
https://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Brazil-association-criticizes-order-to-remove-13339784.php