‘We feel angry – and we have reason to be’: Brazil’s resurgent punk scene is a howl of outrage at injustice
Brazil's punk scene is experiencing a resurgence as a form of protest against systemic injustice, including police brutality, poverty, and inequality. Rooted in working-class communities, punk bands like Repressão Social use music to express outrage and cope with daily violence. The movement has spread across Latin America and the global south, adapting to local contexts while maintaining its rebellious spirit.
- ▪Punk band Repressão Social was formed in Rio de Janeiro's Morro da Lagartixa favela in 1995 as a response to urban violence and police brutality.
- ▪Brazil's punk culture thrives in marginalized urban areas, reflecting frustrations over unemployment, racism, and state violence.
- ▪The global punk movement has expanded to the global south, where it adapts to local musical traditions and social struggles.
- ▪Scholar Kevin Dunn describes punk as a response to alienation caused by economic, political, and social oppression.
- ▪Punk originated in the mid-1970s in London and New York but has found stronger resonance in Latin America due to higher levels of violence and inequality.
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Repressão Social jam in a rehearsal room in Rio de Janeiro. Photograph: Alan Lima/The GuardianView image in fullscreenRepressão Social jam in a rehearsal room in Rio de Janeiro. Photograph: Alan Lima/The GuardianBrazil‘We feel angry – and we have reason to be’: Brazil’s resurgent punk scene is a howl of outrage at injustice Thriving punk culture seen as response to frustrations at unemployment, urban violence, police brutality and deprivationTom Phillips in Rio de JaneiroSat 2 May 2026 01.00 EDTLast modified on Sat 2 May 2026 10.08 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleAs black-clad police combatants charged into the hillside favela and opened fire, a black-clad punk scurried out of the community in the opposite direction, his hands trembling from fright.“Holy shit! All those guns! Things…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Guardian — Music.
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