Rio de Janeiro: Refugee beaten to death – demonstrations in Brazil

Rio de Janeiro
Refugee beaten to death – demonstrations in Brazil

People demonstrate in Rio de Janeiro after the violent death of a Congolese immigrant. Photo: Bruna Prado/AP/dpa

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Young Congolese Moïse Kabagambe was beaten to death by several people in Rio de Janeiro in January. Hundreds of people are now taking to the streets in Brazil – and demanding justice.

After the brutal killing of an African refugee, demonstrations for justice have taken place in numerous Brazilian cities.

In Rio de Janeiro, hundreds of protesters gathered on Saturday at a beach bar in the Barra da Tijuca district, where young Congolese Moïse Kabagambe had worked. There he was beaten to death by several people on January 24. According to media reports citing relatives, Kabagambe was attacked when he demanded outstanding wages for two days of work. There have now been three arrests.

Justice for Kabagambe

There were other protests in São Paulo, Salvador, Brasília and Recife. The protesters called for justice for Kabagambe and denounced racism against black people. Rio’s city administration announced that it would transform the kiosk where the beach bar was located into a memorial for the dead man, who was 24 years old according to media reports, and for African culture. Kabagambe’s family is offered to run it.

At the Rio protests, some demonstrators also reportedly shouted “Bolsonaro out”. Brazil’s right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly expressed his public concern about blacks and denied that there is a racism problem in Latin America’s largest country.

dpa

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