British tourists held up at gunpoint in Rio
A group of 18 British tourists were reportedly held up by a gang with automatic rifles and grenades within minutes of arriving in Rio de Janeiro.
They were forced to stop while transferring from the airport to the Le Meridien Copacabana.
According to reports, one member of the tour group was hit in the face with the butt of a gun when trying to resist the attack.
Three thieves got away with the group’s possessions after forcing their way onto the bus with psitols, at least one hand grenade and automatic rifles.
It it the second such incident involving British tourists in Rio this year.
A representative from the city’s secretariat of public security reportedly told The Guardian there was no evidence to suggest the attacks were connected.
“Rio de Janeiro is a safe city. It is a city like any other in the world. You get robberies in London, Paris and Rome,” Mario da Silveira was reported as saying. “What about the Brazilian who died in London? The British police have covered that up until now.”
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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