In Copacabana traffic will be closed and subways and buses will undergo special operations; find out the safety measures for the show which is expected to bring more than 1.5 million people to the beach on Saturday 4th
Like thousands of people, interior designer Mariana Gibran, 48, is counting the hours to applaud the singer Madonna on Copacabana beach, in the south of Rio, on Saturday evening 4. He lives in Sao Paulo and bought a return ticket to Rio as soon as the queen of pop’s show was confirmed, which should attract 1.5 to the beach million of people. .
But, while Mariana exudes anxiety, her father, Omar Gibran, 71, a retired Sabesp employee, is worried about his daughter’s safety: what will the police be like during the show? “Rio is always present in the police pages, and this crowd together seems like a big problem for thieves,” he says.
Worry is not free. Although last New Year’s Eve was relatively quiet on Copacabana Beach, the Alok show, in August 2023, was characterized by robberies and a lot of confusion: around 500 suspects were arrested, and during the show, 161 robberies were officially recorded in the neighborhood . more than the total number recorded in each of the other months of the year.
This time, however, the security structure is even greater than that of last New Year’s Eve, when 3 thousand military police officers worked in Copacabana. Now there will be 3,200, using 64 vehicles or occupying the 65 observation towers, according to the State Secretariat of the Military Police. An additional 1,500 civilian police officers will be present in surrounding police stations, which will operate under a special timetable, with increased staffing from 5pm on Saturday until 5am on Sunday.
Fences will be installed on the streets that cross Avenida Atlântica to control access and closure if necessary. There will be 18 checkpoints and searches with facial recognition at the exits of the three Copacabana metro stations (Cardeal Arcoverde, Siqueira Campos and Cantagalo), at intersections and in the Coelho Cintra tunnel, known as the new tunnel, which connects from Botafogo to Copacabana on Avenida Princesa Isabel. PMs will use 150 racket-type metal detectors.
A mobile Command and Control center will be installed in the Lido square, two blocks from the stage. From there, four drones will be controlled, two of which are equipped with facial recognition, and the images of 12 facial recognition cameras distributed along Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana will be observed.
The Prime Minister will also have five support tents and eight quad bikes for patrolling the sand, nine vehicles, 12 motorcycles and eight reinforcement cabins in the corridor near the beach.
The fire department will have more than 800 soldiers, including lifeguards, fighters, doctors and nurses, to intervene in incidents such as drownings, fires and pre-hospital care. The agents will have small and medium-sized boats, vehicles, ambulances, tankers and an advanced medical center at Post 6, as well as an aircraft for the most serious incidents.
At least considering the number of security officers and equipment available, Mr Gibran can rest easy.
Plan
Madonna’s show will begin at 9.45pm and last two hours, finishing at 11.45pm. First, from 7pm there will be DJs, and at 8pm Dipo, an American DJ and producer who was Anitta’s companion in music and entertainment, will perform.
Public transport operation
In Copacabana, car circulation will be stopped as happens on New Year’s Eve. Starting at 7 a.m. Saturday, the Avenida Atlântica lane along the waterfront will no longer receive vehicles. The runway adjacent to the buildings will also be closed at 11am. From 6pm onwards only buses and taxis will be able to enter the neighbourhood. From 7.30 pm, circulation will also be prohibited for them.
Traffic will be allowed again in Copacabana starting from 4am on Sunday, with the exception of Avenida Atlântica, which will remain closed.
On Saturday the subway will operate according to a special timetable starting from 3pm. Lines 1 and 4 will go from Jardim Oceânico to Uruguay, while line 2 will go from Pavuna to General Osório: on both it will be possible to reach Copacabana without changing.
The ticket costs R$ 7.50 and can be paid with a Giro or Riocard card or by contact (just bring your Visa, Mastercard, Elo credit/debit card or mobile device with NFC technology to the turnstile validator).
The Cardeal Arcoverde station will only be open for disembarkation from 4pm to 10pm. This and the other two stations located in Copacabana (Siqueira Campos and Cantagalo) will operate continuously until 4am on Sunday. The other stations close for boarding at midnight and from that moment, until 4, they will only open for disembarkation.
There will be a special municipal bus line between Terminal Gentileza, located next to the bus station, and Avenida Princesa Isabel, in Copacabana. The fare costs R$8.60 and entitles you to return (passengers will receive a wristband that allows them to board the bus for free on the return). The line does not accept supplements or tips. Buses depart from Terminal Gentileza at 1pm, and the return journey departs from Enseada de Botafogo, from 0am to 4am on Sundays.
The other lines will respect traffic diversions. Boarding and disembarking will take place at the temporary points installed in Enseada de Botafogo and at post 6, in Copacabana.
What can’t
It will not be permitted to show up at the event with bottles or sharp objects, such as knives and penknives.
What can
You will be able to bring with you drinks in plastic bottles, food (as long as knives are not used), cooler bags (which will be searched), raincoats and any object that cannot be used as a weapon during a fight.
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
