Military policemen in Espírito Santo launched to an illegal strike after demonstrations by relatives in the Metropolitan Region of Greater Vitória against low salaries.

[1] Local criminals exploited the strike and a crime wave of violence, carjacking and looting spread across Espírito Santo, with most public services and businesses being closed.

The Espírito Santo state government called in assistance from the National Public Security Force and the Brazilian Armed Forces to restore law and order in Vitória and other cities until military policemen began to return to their duties after two weeks of strike action.

An estimated 215 people were killed in Espírito Santo during the violence, and hundreds of military policemen were indicted for involvement in the illegal strike.

[3] The strike itself began in the early hours of Saturday, 4 February, with protests in the cities of the Greater Vitória, Linhares, Aracruz, Colatina and Piúma.

[6] According to the Civil Police Union of Espírito Santo, 215 people suffered violent deaths in the state since the protests began until 24 February.

[13] César Colnago, the acting governor of Espírito Santo, told reporters on Wednesday that the 1,000 soldiers already sent to the state were not enough to stem an ongoing tide of violence.

[14] Even though Espírito Santos' streets are being patrolled by both the National Guard and the Brazilian Army, the number of casualties ever since the Military Police decided to go on strike went over 100 on Thursday (the 9th).

The strike, which has kept police officers off the streets of Espírito Santo, has seriously disrupted residents' day-to-day activities, such as grocery shopping, buying gas and going to the bank.