40-thousand seized weapons destroyed in Rio's Sambadrome

Rio de Janeiro, Jul 10: Thousands of weapons were destroyed on Monday in Rio de Janeiro, as part of a symbolic gesture marking International Gun Destruction Day.





The weapons were burned by the army before being publicly displayed and subsequently crushed by a steam roller.

A civil police helicopter then dropped flower petals from above, and a white cloth was laid over the weapons to signify peace.

Leila Goulart, Director of the Control of Weapons and Explosives Division, said they were sending “1,200 weapons every day, a total of 6,000 weapons a week,” to the army, where the first stage of the destruction process begins.

The arms on display were old weapons from criminal investigations now closed, that police had kept as evidence.