Protesters took to the streets across Brazil after two security guards beat a 40-year-old black man to death, João Alberto Silveira Freitas, in a Carrefour grocery store in the city of Porto Alegre on the 19th of November, a day before Black Awareness Day. Antimidia, a Brazilian anarchist media collective, released a video summarizing the situation.
Demonstrations began immediately the day after in Porto Alegre, with thousands marching in João Alberto’s funeral procession and breaking into the store, looting it, and cursing police outside. After the Carrefour was attacked, police tear-gassed protesters outside and arrested several.
Demonstrations also occurred in São Paulo, with a store being looted and set on fire. Clashes with police occurred, but tear gas was not deployed.
Sporadic demonstrations also happened in Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, and Rio De Janeiro among other cities. at least 1,000 marched in the three aforementioned above.
Protesters in Pamplona, within the city of Rio do Sul, attacked the local Carrefour in solidarity with Porto Alegre.
Hundreds of protesters also gathered in Boa Viagem, south of Recife, on the 21st of November.
More than 1,000 demonstrators gathered in Vila Velha, performing a ‘die-in’ commemorating the black people who have died to police brutality.
