The wave of stone-throwing attacks on buses in São Paulo entered its second month on Tuesday (12/08), with nearly one thousand cases officially recorded across the capital and its metropolitan region. Police are still trying to identify and capture those responsible for the vandalism, which has already left injured passengers and drivers. According to data from SPTrans, the municipal transportation authority, 626 incidents were reported between 12 June and Sunday (10/08). In parallel, Artesp (the São Paulo State Transportation Agency) reported 341 additional cases in Greater São Paulo since 1 June, showing the widespread nature of the problem and the growing public concern.
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Investigations
The case is being investigated by the State Department of Criminal Investigations (Deic), part of the Civil Police, with support from regional precincts and the Cybercrimes Division, as confirmed by the São Paulo Public Security Secretariat (SSP). Meanwhile, the Military Police increased their patrols on bus lines to discourage further attacks. In the capital, the city government announced at the end of July that 200 municipal civil guards would begin riding selected bus routes based on reported incidents. Patrols have also extended to bus garages and key road corridors in an effort to deter and identify suspects before attacks occur.
Motivations
With more than one hundred attacks recorded in just the first nine days of June, authorities quickly began to question the motives behind the phenomenon. However, two months later, the reasons remain unclear. Investigators are examining several possible explanations, including disputes between rival bus companies, online “challenges” spread through social media, and the once-suspected but now-dismissed hypothesis of organized crime involvement. The attacks have not been limited to the capital; in the coastal region of Baixada Santista, 11 buses were vandalized in Santos during the early hours of 29 June, raising concerns that the trend might spread statewide.
Criticism of Delays
Mounting pressure for answers has reached both city hall and the governor’s office. On 10 July, amid the growing wave of vandalism, Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) reassured the public that there was no reason for panic, insisting the state government was taking the situation seriously. Days later, however, after one full month of attacks without concrete results, São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes (MDB) expressed frustration over the delay in concluding the investigation. Despite his criticism, Nunes emphasized his confidence that the Civil Police would eventually identify and prosecute those responsible.
Arrests
Over time, the investigation began to yield results, with several arrests reported. On 22 July, police announced they had detained 22 suspects in connection with acts of vandalism in the capital and metropolitan region. That same day, the arrest of Edson Aparecido Campolongo, 68, was publicized. He was indicted on suspicion of carrying out 17 attacks in the metropolitan area. The next day, his brother, Sérgio Campolongo, voluntarily surrendered to authorities. Edson, who worked as a driver for the Housing and Urban Development Company, alleged political motivations behind his actions. On his social media accounts, he frequently posted criticisms of President Lula, the Workers’ Party (PT), and Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) for decisions taken against former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Slowing Pace
While in just over a month SPTrans had already logged 506 attacks in the city alone, by last Sunday that number had risen to 626, suggesting a slower pace compared to the initial wave. Even so, authorities have not provided clear updates on the status of the investigations or whether the theories under consideration have shifted. At the time of the Campolongo brothers’ arrest, officials involved in the inquiry emphasized that the 22 detainees had not presented consistent or convincing reasons for their actions. This reinforced the working theory of a herd effect, where individuals mimic actions they see in the media, fueling the continuation of attacks without a clear, organized purpose.
Analysis:
The wave of stone-throwing attacks on buses in São Paulo exposes both a public security challenge and a crisis of perception. The sheer scale of the incidents—nearly one thousand cases in two months, suggests that authorities were initially unprepared for the rapid spread of the phenomenon. While police have made arrests, including suspects with political motivations, the lack of a clear, unified explanation has fueled public anxiety and given the impression of institutional fragility. This is compounded by the competing narratives between state and municipal leaders, who have expressed frustration over the slow progress of investigations.
From an analytical perspective, the attacks appear less the product of organized crime than of a copycat dynamic, amplified by social media and media coverage. This herd effect complicates prevention efforts, as deterrence becomes less about dismantling a structured network and more about discouraging spontaneous acts of vandalism. The slower pace of attacks in recent weeks may reflect the impact of increased patrols and arrests.
Sources: A Folha de SP.
