Memorial for victims of deadly police raid in Rio

Residents of the Jacarezinho favela in Brazil, where a violent police raid last week left 29 people dead, held an emotional ceremony on Wednesday in memory of the victims.

Family members and residents of the densely populated favela gathered in front of the church of Our Lady of Succour (Nossa Senora Auxiladora) to listen to a sermon delivered by the leader of Rio's Catholic Church, Cardinal  Orani João Tempesta, who blessed the victims and called for peace.

"We need to analyze violence and determine how we can be promoters of peace." the Cardinal told the assembled crowd, many of whom were wearing shirts bearing portraits of their loved ones.

Weeping family members and local residents prayed for those killed in the day-long raid, which saw gun battles fought on rooftops and in the narrow alleyways of the favela.

According to eyewitnesses, some of those who were gunned down were killed by police after fleeing into neighbours' homes.

"We don't feel peace inside, especially after Thursday morning (day of the police raid). It's been eight days since I lost my son. It was unfair, no matter what he was or did, what they did to my son was unfair," said Maria Zelandia, mother of a 25-year-old Francisco Fabio who was killed in last week's raid.

The highly controversial raid prompted accusations of human rights abuses and could lead to an investigation into police tactics by Brazil's Supreme Court.

The court had called for an end to such raids during the pandemic, and police actions were sharply curtailed for much of 2020. But police killings have steadily grown over this year, with an average of five a day, according to monitoring groups.

A community leader says residents are traumatized by the violence and will not recover from the loss of their loved ones.

"This spiritual moment reflects our values; it revives hope because what happened here in the community of Jacarezinho is described as a massacre by the residents," Leonardo Pimentel commented at the ceremony.

Police say the raid on the favela was carefully planned and executed and came after months of detective work and surveillance.

But the death toll sparked outrage, and sombre ceremonies like the Cardinals mass, are held under rainy skies in a small plaza in the heart of Jacarezinho.

(Image Credit: AP)