January 2, 2021
Watch: Rio Circuit Party Closed Down – 2,000 Partied Ignoring COVID Restrictions
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
A pre-New Year's Eve dance party in Rio De Janeiro was closed down by police on December 29, Pink News reports. "Around 2,000 people were packed on the dance floor and partying without masks when police burst in to shut the event down, having received complaints that the event was violating COVID-19 rules," the website writes.
On the same day, COVID deaths in the city had reached 14,600.
The mega-circuit party took place in an event hall on Avenida Niemeyer, in Leblon, in the South Zone of the Capital Fluminense, wrote the Brazilian news outlet DiarodoRio.com.
"Videos posted on social networks by the party guests themselves showed the event's dance floor completely packed, with attendees without a mask and without any social distance being respected. With the presence of over 2 thousand people, the celebration even had a swimming pool for the public," adds the DariodoRio.com report.
Citing the Brazilian news outlet GlobaNews (story behind a firewall) Revolution Party, the party's organizers, said that "all coronavirus safety protocols would be followed when they advertised the event, but none of the participants were wearing masks."
Nor was the event authorized the Health Surveillance division of the City of Rio, DariodoRio.com reports. "In total, according to the municipality, three infractions were applied: two very serious (one for agglomeration and the other for lack of use of masks), each with a fine of approximately R $ 15,000. The third was due to lack of health license."
Many in the LGBTQ community were shocked by the event. Twitter user RFA wrote: "My God! Look at the Coronafest that is happening RIGHT NOW in Rio! Revolution by Rosane Amaral [the promoter]. Won't anyone do anything?"
"Vox journalist Alex Abad-Santos shared a video of the party being shut down and wrote: 'Not the police shutting down the rio circuit party,'" writes Pink News.
"For the record I love dancing with shirtless homos," he added. "I can't wait to hang out with everyone at the big homosexual dance party when we're all vaccinated in 2021."
