Edgar Cabral, leader of the residents’ association of Bairro do Zambujal, stated that since Odair’s death, little has changed in the neighborhood, although police presence has intensified.
“As a community, we have always been peaceful and remained supportive of each other, even this year, despite the pain and sorrow we feel,” he claimed.
The changes are evident in the increased police presence: “What we’ve noticed now is a much heavier atmosphere when the police enter the neighborhood.”
“The community has been pushed aside, treated in a poor manner,” he continued.
According to Edgar Cabral, “the police arrive, force people against a wall, and there’s a bit of anger towards the police that wasn’t there before.”
“Previously, they just did their jobs—patrolling and monitoring Bairro do Zambujal—but now there is constant strong police intervention,” he added.
Since Odair’s murder, he continued, the police have been regularly conducting searches in the neighborhood.
“No one is arrested. I think they’re waiting for some disagreement to give them a reason,” he expressed.
Commenting on the start of the trial for the officer accused of killing Odair Moniz, on Wednesday, Edgar Cabral said the community hopes it will bring some relief.
“We hope that now, with the trial, people can breathe a bit. We’ve been under significant pressure since the event,” he remarked.
He further added, “We, who live in social housing, always hold on to hope and faith. Is this when things will straighten out, when justice will be served properly?”
“It won’t bring our friend back, but there’s a hope we’ve been seeking for many years, and with the way things are progressing, I believe this is it, and may it be an episode that doesn’t repeat,” he concluded.
