Thousands took to the streets in Brazil, mostly Afro-Brazilians, to protest against racism and police violence, a week after police operation in a favela in Rio de Janeiro which resulted in the death of 28 people.
“No bullet, no hunger, no COVID. The black people want to live! ” Protesters, wearing masks and keeping their distance, demanded an end to discrimination against blacks and mixed race – 55% of the country’s population of 212 million – on the day Brazil officially celebrates the anniversary of the end of slavery. in 1888.
Protesters are challenging this “fake” anniversary, which honors the fact that the daughter of the then Brazilian monarch, Princess Isabella, signed a law freeing slaves.
Black Brazilians prefer to celebrate the end of slavery on November 20, the anniversary of the death of Zombie, a form of resistance to slavery and the last leader of a rebellious slave community, the Palmaras, as AMPE explains.
In Rio de Janeiro, protesters held candles and placards with slogans such as “Against genocide, uprising is fair,” “Do not kill me, kill racism,” or “Justice for Zakarezini”, the favela where the deadly police raid took place. According to the latter, the purpose of the operation was to dismantle a gang that recruited children and adolescents to trade drugs, commit thefts, kidnappings and murders.
But human rights groups say the operation was the deadliest in the Brazilian metropolitan area, where the less privileged, mostly black, live, accustomed to this type of police raid.
Several protesters have accused the country’s president, Zaich Bolsonaro, of committing “Genocide” of black Brazilians.
For Dara Santana de Carvalho, who took part in the march, “what we see is that blacks are the ones who die the most, they are the ones who die most from guns, they are the ones who are most affected by unemployment, they are the ones who are vaccinated the least . This is a policy of genocide. “
“We are here to demand an end to the genocide of blacks, “to demand vaccines, jobs and equal rights,” said Alessandro de Santos Vissosa, another protester, according to AMPE.
Similar mobilizations, organized by the Alliance of Blacks for Rights, took place in Brasilia, Salvador and the financial capital Sao Paulo, with some 500 people in attendance, some holding placards reading “Bolsonaro down”, referring to the far right.
“President Bolsonaro and his vice president praised the massacre” in Zakarezino’s favela, the “tragedy” in which police “killed 28 people in the cold,” said Zoua de Oliveira, a protester in Sao Paulo. “That’s why we came to protest.”
Activists denounced “extrajudicial executions” in the favela, stressing that many of the people who lost their lives were not suspected of anything at all. One of the members of the Supreme Court has the same opinion: in the raid on Zakarezini there are indications that “arbitrary executions” were committed, he said.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
