Note from BW of Brazil: As has been demonstrated repeatedly on this blog, the disrespect of the black population is a regular occurrence throughout Brazil. The following incident is just another example. Here, a woman goes on a rant after she felt that black employees were trying to overcharge her for something in a bakery. The racial insult or injury, while not a physical assault, is a means of belittling and attempting to keep persons of visible African ancestry in the social “place” designated to them while sustaining the position of superiority to the person using it.
Without knowing she was being filmed, she insulted the attendants for disagreeing about the price of some juice
by R7
Episode of racism was filmed by customer waiting in line (video and photos courtesy of TV Record)
A woman was arrested on Sunday, June 2nd, accused of racist acts against employees of a bakery in the 113 block of Asa Sul, in the downtown region of the capital city and Federal District of Brasilia. It was filmed by a customer who was in the service line and denounced the incident to the police.
According to witnesses, the woman came to the counter yelling at bakery employees. A clerk was the direct target of the insults.
“You are a negro making yourself out to be a coitadinho (poor thing or victim).”
Other employees came to speak to the woman who kept screaming and offending employees.
“You neguinhos (little blacks) (1). When I came here you were looking to treat me right away and well because you are a negro making yourself (out to be a) coitadinho.
The confusion started because the woman disagreed with the price of juice that she drank at the bakery. Then she accused the employee of theft.
“Oh, how cute, she’s here without the price list. She wanted to rob me. I’m getting outta here. The negra (black girl) wanted to rob me, they want me to rob me.”
The student Érika Silva de Almeida, who was in the check out, filmed everything. She said she was in the service line when she became outraged at the woman’s attitude.
Employees and customers called police and the woman was arrested in the act. At the police station, she confirmed racism and was sent to the jail of the Specialized Police Department and will respond to charges of racism and personal injury.
According to the Secretaria Nacional de Direitos Humanos (National Secretariat of Human Rights), the Federal District is among the places in the country with high levels of racial prejudice. Data from the police show that last year 402 instances of racial slurs and seven of racism were recorded.
Source: R7 Notícias
Notes
1. As discussed in previous articles, the terms neguinho (masculine) or neguinha (feminine) are common diminutive forms of the term negro or negra, meaning black, in Brazil. The term would be loosely translated as “little black (guy or girl)”. In the 2002 film Cidade de Deus (City of God), the name of the Neguinho character was actually translated as “little blackie”. For some, these terms can be accepted as affectionate nicknames, as confirmed last year by veteran journalist Glória Maria, but as Maria also stated, how the term is received can depend on the tone of one’s voice, the gesture (1) and also the situation. While the terms have been used for many years in Brazil, nowadays, black Brazilians are increasingly defining the term as racist when used by persons who are considered white.
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