Conceptualising events of dissent: Understanding the Lava Jato rally in Sao Paulo - 5th December 2016

Avenida Paulista (Avenue of the Paulistas – i.e. those who reside in Sao Paulo) stretches 1.7 miles and is one of the most important roads in Sao Paulo. It is the state’s cultural and financial heart whilst also home to many high-end shops and restaurants. Originally built in 1891, it was opened with a great festival; ostensibly a celebration of the strength of the country’s first republic. Over the last 30 years it has also become the focal point for activist demonstrations, and events of dissent, within the city and, due to the scale of many of those protests, the country. In 2013, the Avenida was host to the world’s biggest Gay Pride parade, with over 5 million participants; whilst the largest demonstrations both for and against the former President Rousseff, occupied the avenue in 2015 and 2016. This chapter combines a critical approach to event studies with a conceptualisation of leisure, drawn from the work of Habermas and others, to reflect on the relationship between disruption and ritual in events of dissent. Using two case study demonstrations, the anti-corruption protests of 5th December 2016 and the 2017 Gay Pride parade, to contextualise its discussion of accessibility, inclusion and diversity.

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