View of the Olympic torch in Itamaraju, Bahia state, Brazil on May 19, 2016, ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. / AFP / Marcos de Paula (Photo credit should read MARCOS DE PAULA/AFP/Getty Images)
The 2016 Olympic torch relay through Brazil has hit another snag this week.
A man was arrested on Sunday in the southwestern Brazilian city of Maracaju, Mato Grosso do Sul state after attempting to throw a bucket of water on the Olympic Torch.
Marcelino Mateus Silva Proença, 27, missed the torch altogether hitting only the torch bearer and the security guards around it according to local police chief, Amylcar Eduardo Romero.
Video posted to social media showed he was standing on the sidewalk when he threw the bucket of water towards the torch. Proença was arrested at home shortly after fleeing the scene. Romero says Proença’s friends had dared him to do the deed.
Early last week Proença posted a photo on his Facebook page of a man holding a bucket with a caption that read: “Waiting for the torch to pass.”
On Monday, Proença posted a meme with cartoon character He-Man holding the torch. The meme read: “I have the torch, but don’t have education, health, security, quality of life…”
When asked about other possible motives, police said they didn’t know whether the act was politically motivated. He was charged with intent to cause material harm and was released after paying his $295 bail. If convicted he could face anywhere from 6 months to 3 years in prison. Police said it wasn’t immediately clear when he would be facing a judge in this case.
Proença seems to be enjoying his notoriety. A few moments after being released from police custody, he posted a selfie saying all was well. Since then he has been sharing with his followers news articles detailing his dare. He even shared the video of his arrest.
The Olympic torch relay through Brazil hasn’t been without its controversies. Last week, a jaguar that was used as part of the Olympic torch relay event was shot and killed after the cat escaped its handlers. In that case, after Juma broke free from her confinement, a team of military members and veterinarians worked to recapture the jaguar.
Despite being shot with a tranquilizer dart, the animal lunged at a soldier and, in an attempt to protect the soldier and the rest of the treatment team, the animal was killed with one pistol shot.
