Protests in Brazil over supermarket death

Protests erupted over the weekend across Brazil following the death of a black man who died after being beaten by security guards at a popular supermarket in Porto Alegre, the capital of the southern Rio Grande Do Sul. Footage has emerged of security guards kneeling on João Alberto Silveira and punched him in the face-violence that is an all too frequent incident perpetrated upon Afro-Brazilians who make up over 50% of the Brazilian population. Statistics show that over 70% of cases of police and security force brutality are committed against Afro-Brazilians.

On Brazils’ National Day of Black Consciousness on 20 November, the President of the College of Bishops of the Methodist Church in Brazil, Bishop Luiz Vergílio Batista da Rosa, issued a statement on behalf of the church. Here is a translation of the statement:

 Declaration  "The effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever”. (Isaiah 32:17 )

This emblematic day of National Black Consciousness and of the struggle against racism is a day when we strongly denounce the cruel murder of João Alberto Silveira Freitas at the hands of security guards at Carrefour supermarket in the neighbourhood of Passo da Areia, Porto Alegro, in Rio Grande do Sul state.

As we lament in solidarity with his family, we declare that we expect justice to be done. Our Quilombola* hope is for a more just, solidary and welcoming society, devoid of racism and ethnic violence.

As Christians, “it is not enough to not be racist. We must be anti-racist”.

Bishop Luíz Vergílio Batista da Rosa Presidente of the Episcopal College of the Methodist Church 

*the word used in Brazil for the descendants of African slaves

 Let us pray for Brazil

We thank you God for the nation of Brazil.

We stand alongside our Brazilian brothers and sisters as together we ask that You would bring about a fairer and just society that treats every ethnic minority in Brazil as precious children of God and of equal worth.

We pray that you will help those in authority with a desire for social justice to stamp out institutional racism, social racism and racism in every guise

We pray that every form of brutality against Afro-Brazilians and other ethnic minorities would cease, and that these communities would no longer have to fear for their lives or their children’s lives.

We pray for peace among between every diverse community and that police authorities and security personnel would carry out their responsibilities without brutality and violence.

We pray for the Methodist Church in Brazil as it seeks to be salt and light in its context. We pray that the church would continue to stand strongly against racism and call its authorities to account.

In Jesus’ name we pray

Amen.