I must admit that I didn’t hang around many demonstrations (or protest-events of any political inclination) when I lived in Brazil, from January to June of this year. And there were enough to spare, many organized in reaction to the current presidential crisis. During my first months, I wouldn’t go because I still didn’t really know São Paulo, the issues at hand, or a Brazilian willing to accompany and guide me. Months later, two threats kept me away: the possibility of police repression and of (my) deportation—I didn’t hear of any foreigner deported for such a reason, but that’s no reason to be the pendeja who risks it.

However, a lot of Brazilians and Non-Brazilians would advise me to go anyway, to “observe” this “fascinating” moment in Brazilian history; according to them, I could stay far away and (without posters or shirt of certain colors) look, leave, and that’s it. But this…