Residents and rights groups took to the streets accusing authorities of excessive force after police targeted the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) gang in coordinated raids across the Penha and Complexo do Alemão neighborhoods.

Demonstrators gathered outside the state government headquarters demanding accountability and an end to what they described as indiscriminate killings.

Authorities said the operation, involving more than 2,500 police officers and soldiers, aimed to dismantle organized crime networks and seize illegal weapons and drugs. Officials later confirmed that four police officers were also killed, and over a ton of narcotics and nearly 90 rifles were confiscated.

The scale of the casualties has drawn scrutiny from Brazil’s Supreme Court, federal prosecutors, and human rights organizations, which have called for independent investigations. The U.N. Human Rights Office urged Brazil to ensure law enforcement operations adhere to international standards on the use of force.

Governor Cláudio Castro has defended the raid as part of efforts to combat organized crime, but criticism continues to mount from legislators, civil society groups, and international observers.

The Justice Ministry has requested a detailed report on the operation, and a Supreme Court hearing involving state officials has been scheduled for next week.

Similar deadly raids have occurred in Rio in recent years, including the 2021 Jacarezinho operation that left 28 people dead, but observers say the latest incident marks a new level of violence in Brazil’s long struggle with drug gangs and police militarization.