Brazilian construction workers who have been on strike for several weeks threw stones at the headquarters of the newspaper Diário do Nordeste, in Fortaleza, capital of the Brazilian state of Ceará, in the northeast of Brazil, during the morning of Tuesday, May 29, reported the Portal Imprensa. The workers are on strike protesting a salary adjustment.
According to the Diário do Nordeste, graphic design workers also were part of the strike. A TV anchor reported being attacked by the protestors.
The director of the newspaper, Ildefonso Rodrigues, accused the union for the violence, however, the lawyer for the Workers Union of the Construction Industry of Fortaleza, Carlos Chagas, said that his organization is against any type of violence, reported the news portal Bol.
The attacks on the newspaper headquarters created outrage among diverse organization related to journalism. The National Newspaper Association condemned the attacks and said that they expect authorities to take "action to guarantee freedom of expression and to find those responsible," according to Yahoo Noticias.
The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) on Wednesday, May 30, expressed concern for the violence against the Brazilian newspapers and journalists, reported the portal Terra. According to the IAPA, acts of violence "add to other acts against journalists that cover protests." The representatives of the Legislative Assembly of Ceará also criticized the incident, saying that this damages negotiations with the board of directors, reported the newspaper O Povo.
