Brazilian authorities were on high alert on Wednesday after a social media flyer circulated on a public Telegram channel promoting a “mega-protest to retake power” in two dozen cities. The flyer, titled “Beach Trip”, was spread to more than 18,000 members of the channel and included 43 pins across a map of Brazil pointing to cities where bus transportation to the capital could be found.
The flyer promised a “party” on January 8th and listed activities such as target shooting of police and robbers, musical chairs, indigenous dancing, and tag. It also stated that children and the elderly were not invited. The Telegram channel has since been removed.
In response to the flyer, authorities designated an area for protest on Brasilia’s esplanade surrounded by federal government buildings and stationed police and national guard troops. However, when the day came, only one person showed up. Eunice Carvalho, a 58-year-old, said, “We were surprised to be the only ones here today.”
The Brazilian government has not commented on the incident. It is unclear if the flyer was a hoax or if the lack of attendance was due to the increased security measures. The incident has raised questions about the security of social media channels and the potential for misinformation to be spread.
Key takeaways:
- A social media flyer circulated on a public Telegram channel promoting a “mega-protest to retake power” in two dozen cities.
- In response to the flyer, authorities designated an area for protest on Brasilia’s esplanade surrounded by federal government buildings and stationed police and national guard troops.
- The incident has raised questions about the security of social media channels and the potential for misinformation to be spread.
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