Ross Kemp 'On Gangs' in Brazil

Leo No.8 · October 13, 2006

...has anyone seen it? That country is absolutely mental - the police are like a gang themselves, they showed one clip where the police catch a gang member; the officer in charge pulls a gun out from this guy's sock, then takes him round the back of the van they've stopped him in and you hear three shots as he executes him right there and then in the full knowledge the camera is rolling.

They showed a prison with 120 men in a cell designed for 15 crammed in literally on top of each other, a cavernous stockpile of weapons taken from gangs including rocket launchers, kids just walking the streets with sub-machine guns, it was some eye-opener.

At one stage they interviewed the head of the Brazilian Drug Enforcement Agency and Kemp says 'so is it true that some members of the police kidnap gang members for ransoms? The guy just says 'yes, Internal Affairs try to stop it but I can't say it doesn't happen'. Cue Kemp looking flabbergasted.

I knew there was a huge division between rich and poor there, but I didn't realise 10% of the population owned 80% of the nation's wealth with 50 million living in abject poverty. I must say its not often I've thought this before I tend to think 'it'll be alright go anyway' if someone gives you bad reports (going to Jamaica for New Year which is supposed to be a bit dodgy), but there's not a f*cking chance I'd go to Brazil after seeing that. It really was insane.

The people there deserve to win The World Cup as often as they do, the lives they have to live at least it must bring them some happiness and release from living hand to mouth and being shot at all the time.

Romario · October 13, 2006

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