A 32-year-old man was charged with the crimes of bodily harm, threats and homophobia for attacking a 24-year-old boy inside a shopping mall in Contagem (MG), in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte.
The crime occurred on April 27 of this year. The victim, a 24-year-old gym instructor, was attacked by the suspect with punches and kicks. The action was caught on security cameras.
See images of the attack:
“The images from the internal circuit and security body cameras were analyzed by the team of investigators, and a forensic examination confirmed the injuries,” said delegate Mariana Schlemper, responsible for the case.
According to investigations, the suspect allegedly attacked the victim after stating that he was being “stared at” by her. The victim claimed that the attack was motivated by homophobia. Witnesses interviewed by the police reinforced this version.
“It was very clear to us in the investigation team, based on the evidence collected, the hatred and aversion with which the accused treated the victim due to his sexual orientation, even threatening to kill her if the instructor looked at him again” , added the delegate.
Clerk Jouberth Maia Oliveira, also involved in the investigation, highlighted that the version presented by the suspect during interrogation showed inconsistencies.
“I was responsible for listening to the witnesses, the suspect and the victim. The investigation showed that there was hatred on the part of the person being investigated against the victim because she was homosexual. This aspect made all the difference in the investigation. The suspect tried to justify his behavior, but his allegations were not supported by the evidence collected, which clearly demonstrated the homophobic nature of the attack,” he said.
Delegate Mariana Schlemper emphasized that “the investigation is not just about physical aggression, but about the protection of the LGBTQIA+ community and the affirmation that homophobic attitudes will not be tolerated”. “Therefore, we understand that it poses a risk to this community and, therefore, must be taken into account,” he concluded.
According to the understanding of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), homophobia falls under the Racism Law. As there was no incident at the time, the suspect remains free, but according to the Civil Police, the case was sent to the Court and his preventive detention has already been requested.
This content was originally published in Suspect of aggression motivated by homophobia is indicted in Minas Gerais on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil

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