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Brazil: Police uses tear gas, rubber bullets on protesters

WION Web Team
Brasilia, BrazilUpdated: Nov 24, 2020, 02:15 PM IST
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Brazil protests Photograph:(Reuters)

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Mondy's protest was observed on the street in front of the supermarket and the protestors interrupted the traffic

A series of protests broke out in Brazil after White security guards were recorded beating a Black man to death outside the Carrefour supermarket in the city.

Following his death, people took to the streets of Brasilia to protest against the police brutality. Several protests also broke out in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil.

Now, on Monday, as the protestors demanded justice for the 40-year-old welder Joao Alberto Silveira Freitas, police attacked the demonstrators with tear gas and rubber bullets to warn them off.

Mondy's protest was observed on the street in front of the supermarket and the protestors interrupted the traffic, and some even threw small stones and fireworks at the police trying to control the crowd demanding justice.

Freitas was punched in the face and hit repeatedly by a security guard while the other guard held him tightly. The video, which was sadly too graphic, was circulated on the internet, which brought the issue to notice.

As the incident took in front of the Carrefour supermarket, the authorities of the company promised to invest $5 million in fighting against racism even though "we know that we cannot repair the loss of the life of Mr. Joao Alberto," he officials said.

"This action is the first step by our company to combat prejudice and structural racism, which is urgent in Brazil so that it gains even more strength and support from society," it said in a statement.

The supermarket has, since then, cut ties with the private security company where the two security guards worked.