São Paulo Police Detain 21 After Student Occupation of Education Office

Overview

• Students occupying a room at the state Education Secretariat on Wednesday were cleared overnight by Military Police, with 21 people taken to a precinct and released after statements, as public security officials said no one was injured.
• Organizers from the secondary students’ union Upes said they want better school conditions, pay for teachers, reversal of what they call an R$11 billion cut, an end to cívico‑military schools, protection for night classes, and a rethink of digital programs such as the “Sala do Futuro.”
• The Education Secretariat said students skipped a March 17 meeting and that a new conversation is set for Friday, adding that its executive secretary tried to negotiate at the building before police moved in.
• Videos shared online showed an official being pulled by the arm and students claiming pepper spray was used during the removal, though authorities did not confirm injuries, and Upes livestreamed the occupation to widen support.
• The clash centers on Governor Tarcísio de Freitas and Secretary Renato Feder’s agenda, which shifts schools toward military‑style models and tech platforms, a direction students say sidelines them and strains daily life in under‑resourced classrooms.