Brazilian activists have taken to the streets in five major cities after the death of a young black man who was restrained by a supermarket security guard. Campaigners said the protests are feeding a nascent Black Lives Matter movement in Brazil , where nearly three-quarters of all homicide victims are black.
Another took place on Saturday in Recife. As the outcry grew, the hashtag VidasNegrasImportam Black Lives Matter began circulating, and black Brazilians compared his death to that of Eric Garner, who died after police in New York immobilised him in Silva said the protest was for all the black people being killed, citing the case of Jenifer Gomes, 11, who died last week in Rio.
Augusto Trota, 19, a car cleaner and friend of the victim, said Gonzaga had hoped to become a successful rapper performing funk, a Rio style of hip-hop. Paulo newspaper that Gonzaga ran towards the security guard, threw himself on the ground and simulated a fit. The security guard put him on his side and raised up his head, but Gonzaga seized his weapon and began threatening people, Barreto said.
Video being shared on social media from television news reports showed Gonzaga approaching the security guard, who was standing beside a supermarket staff member, falling to the ground, getting up and falling to the ground again.
According to the government-produced annual Violence Atlas, Black or mixed race people make up just over half of the Brazilian population. Vanderlea Aguiar, 42, a public servant taking part in the protest, said it was nearly a year since Marielle Franco, a black city councillor, was killed, yet nobody had been charged with her murder. Facebook Twitter Pinterest. Topics Brazil.
