An attempt to host the world’s largest artificial intelligence class in Brazil descended into chaos Wednesday as a mass brawl erupted between students at the Mineirão stadium in Belo Horizonte. An estimated 30,000 students from state schools were gathered for the event, organized by the Minas Gerais State Education Secretariat and Google Gemini, with hopes of securing a Guinness World record. The incident, triggered during a seemingly innocuous question about local soccer rivalries, highlights the logistical challenges of managing large-scale educational initiatives and led to a delay in the planned lesson.
A large-scale artificial intelligence education event in Brazil was disrupted Wednesday, November 19, by a brawl involving thousands of students at the Mineirão stadium in Belo Horizonte. The incident underscores the challenges of managing large gatherings, even for educational purposes.
The “aulão,” or massive class, had drawn approximately 30,000 students from state schools to the stadium for a lesson on artificial intelligence. Videos circulating online show groups of students fighting in the stands as others chanted “fight, fight!”
According to reports, the unrest began while event hosts were mentioning the names of rival soccer teams from Minas Gerais state – Atlético and Cruzeiro – asking students to identify supporters of each club. The motivation for the widespread fighting remains unclear.
The stadium quickly became the scene of a large-scale altercation, with water bottles thrown amongst the students, delaying the start of the lesson, which had been scheduled for 10 a.m. The event resumed around 11:30 a.m.
Governor Had Touted Event as a Success
Just moments before the fighting broke out, Governor Romeu Zema expressed his enthusiasm for the event. “This will be the largest AI class in the world, which reinforces the commitment of the Education Secretariat to digital education,” he said.
Zema also stated his hope that students from Minas Gerais state schools would become “a reference in Brazil.”
“Since the beginning of my administration, we have replaced the computers in all schools – which looked more like museum pieces – and renovated the facilities. We want our students to be a reference in Brazil, both in elementary and high school. We have made record investments in education and know that this is a long-term project. Minas Gerais is the state that has made the most progress in literacy, and over the next 10 years, we will be even better than we are today. This class is a milestone for education,” Zema said.
However, both Zema and Vice Governor Mateus Simões had already left the stage when the student altercations began.
Event Aimed to Break World Record
Approximately 200 schools from the Greater Belo Horizonte metropolitan area sent students to participate in the event at the Mineirão stadium. The initiative, a partnership between the State Education Secretariat and Google Gemini, had hoped to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest AI class ever held.
The “aulão” brought together students from 11 cities in the RMBH region to learn about technology from Google professionals. In a statement, the Mineirão stadium said that the event’s operation was the responsibility of the Minas Gerais state government, with the stadium simply providing the venue.
