Carnival in Brazil: in Rio de Janeiro, a police operation accused of racism
We are less than a week away from Carnival in Brazil, a very lucrative festive institution for the country. Every year, nearly 1.5 billion euros circulate in the country's economy during parades. In Rio de Janeiro, the country's tourist capital, the police have increased their numbers. But “Operation Summer” as it is called, is accused of racism.
Carnival 2023 in Rio de Janeiro. The festivities bring together huge crowds, posing significant security problems. © AFP - CARL DE SOUZA
By: RFI Follow
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With our correspondent in Rio de Janeiro,
Sarah Cozzolino
From the metro exit to the beaches, armed police officers patrol non-stop at the beginning of February 2024. Sitting on his beach chair, with his speaker on full blast, Wesley is Black and is used to being arrested by the police: “
There are always operations where we are discriminated against. When we are sitting quietly, the police come, search us, look if we have drugs. They can't see a black man sitting down when they show up to search us.
»
Arrests without evidence
In recent days, Rio de Janeiro police have arrested several black teenagers without evidence, justifying that they were potential “
suspects
” or “
delinquents
”. “
Young black people are often compared to thieves. Sometimes they're just having fun, and the police come, arrest them, beat them. So they didn't do anything, they just came to enjoy the beach
,” Wesley said again.
If they are stopped and do not have their identity documents, they are often arrested. The situation is serious according to Felipe: "
Sometimes it's not because they don't want to, but young people from
favelas
don't have documents because they don't have the means and they are discriminated against for That
". According to a study, in 2022, police killed a black person every four hours in
Brazil
.
Also readViolence against black people in Brazil: will the pot of racism explode?
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