Rio de Janeiro set to limit music and activity on its beaches with controversial decree

Rio de Janeiro, one of the world’s most iconic beach cities, is set to tighten rules governing activities on its shores, with a suite of controversial regulations that authorities say will improve public order and safety, and protect the environment.

Mayor Eduardo Paes has issued a 16-point decree, due to come into force from 1 June 2025, meaning anyone wanting to host events, play music out loud, sell refreshments, or rent out chairs will need a permit to do so.

While some locals are positive about the effort to tackle what can be perceived as anti-social behaviour, others view the measures as overkill and an attack on the soul of Rio’s vibrant beach culture.

A praia é de todos!

Som na caixa na praia é cafona.
E é proibido.
Se liga, mas não liga o som não.
Senão, perdeu, galera…

A Prefeitura do Rio, por meio do decreto nº 50671, proíbe o uso de caixas de som ou qualquer meio de amplificação sonora nas praias da cidade. pic.twitter.com/GVKF4QvbqO

— Prefeitura do Rio (@Prefeitura_Rio) January 19, 2025

The Brazilian Institute of Citizenship, a non-profit group that campaigns for social rights, recently asked the courts to suspend the regulations due to their potential negative impact on shoreside economic activity, which brings in an estimated 4 billion reais (around €621 million) each year, according to 2022’s City Hall data.

The Institute’s request was rejected on the basis that the group has no platform for the complaint. That ruling is now being reviewed under appeal.

Meanwhile, elected officials at the city assembly have also conducted lively discussions about the issue, backing a bill that would entail some regulation of beachside activities while ditching the restrictions on live music. If that bill is voted through, it will overrule the mayoral decree.

One of the most sensitive issues concerns the city’s colourful beachside huts, beloved of locals and each with its own personality and name, such as Barraca Maezinha (Mama’s Hut) or Barrack do Menor (Little One). Under the new rules, the huts’ names would be eliminated in favour of numbers.

Local councilwoman Dani Balbi has expressed disapproval of the decree on Instagram, where she slammed the way the city panders to big concerts by well-known acts at the same time as restricting grass roots culture. “What’s the point of holding big events with international artists and neglecting the people who create culture every day in the city?” she asked. “Forcing stallholders to remove the name of their businesses and replace it with numbers compromises the brand identity and the loyalty of customers, who use that location as a reference,” she pointed out.

As a result of the widespread objections, City Hall has said it is in talks with various groups and citizens to take their views into account and possibly reshape the decree.