BRAZIL: Despite a court injunction suspending Rio de Janeiro's Live Earth concert over concerns about security, event organisers say the show will go on

The Live Earth concert in Rio de Janeiro was expected to go ahead after organizers overcame security concerns and a judge lifted a ban on the climate change awareness event on Thursday (July 5). Rio is the last concert in Saturday's Live Earth global series -- partly organized by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore -- with events also due in London, Sydney, Johannesburg, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hamburg and East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Rio prosecutor's office had sought an injunction to stop the pop concert on Copacabana beach because too few police would be available as officers prepare for the Pan American Games, which start on July 13 in the crime-plagued city. But the event's organizers, including the RioTur municipal tourism authority, said they had obtained a police guarantee on Thursday that there would be adequate security. "We met with authorities and addressed their concerns, and the concert will continue as planned," Kristina Schake, Live Earth's communications director, said in a statement. Rio is the only Live Earth concert free and open to the public. If it had been stopped, it would have been the second cancellation; Istanbul was dropped last month because of a lack of interest and security concerns. Ticket sales have been slow for most Live Earth shows and organizers had to change venues in Johannesburg in a bid to improve sales there. A giant beach stage in front of Rio's plush Copacabana Palace hotel was already up. Organizers said they plan to use dozens of observation towers and platforms as well as police cameras in the security plan for the event. Performers including Lenny Kravitz, Pharrell Williams, Jorge Ben Jor and Macy Gray have been lined up to play on Copacabana to an expected audience of up to 1 million people. A cancellation would be embarrassing for city officials, who hope the show and the games will showcase Rio's legendary charms instead of exposing its rampant crime. Rio has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with a toll comparable to some war zones. At least 1,800 people were killed in the first four months of 2007 in the metropolitan area, official figures show. Police have stepped up operations against drug gangs in Rio's slums in the run-up to the Pan American Games. Last week, they raided a slum on the city outskirts, killing about 20 people after a siege in which two dozen people had been killed and more than 60 wounded since May. At the venue, Matt Welsh, a member of Live Earth's green team, said the event will count on a number of volunteers and local organisations to spread out the message about global warming. "We have a PR campaign, as well as volunteers on the day of the event that will be doing the education. There are a lot of organisations in Brazil and Rio that are supporting the cause and are working to get the message out about global warming," he said. Although many are anxious for the concert, only few Brazilians are aware of the green cause behind the global production. Edmar Fernandes, who is a fan of Lenny Kravitz, said it is important the spread environmental awareness through a global initiative. "The awareness today is certainly a lot greater. Today they are a lot more worried (about global warming) - especially the first world countries - because tomorrow they may no longer have what we have here in Brazil today, meaning water and forests." All electricity to power the concerts will come from renewable sources, such as biodiesel. Greenhouse gases spewed out by stars' jets or by the audience's travel will be offset by investments in renewable energy and by safeguarding forests.

ITN Source | July 12, 2007

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