Biennale Visitors’ Joint Kiss Protest Against Crivella’s Order to Seize Books

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Saturday, September 7th, visitors to the Book Biennale protested against Rio’s Mayor Marcelo Crivella’s order to seize copies of the graphic novel “Vingadores, a cruzada das crianças” (“Avengers, the Crusade of Children”) (Salvat), which portrays a kiss between two male characters.

Several flags with the rainbow symbol were raised in various points of the Rio Centro. Near the #Semfiltro Arena, whose theme was ‘Rainbow Literature’, some couples in the audience kissed at the same time.

“This Crivella issue can’t be ignored. I was very sad because I felt personally attacked. And it’s really an attack. But it didn’t last ten minutes because when I saw people’s reactions saying ‘no, that’s not how it works, we’re together and we won’t give in’, that was the greatest thing”, said author Vinicius Grossos.

A larger group also shouted “Crivella, out” and “There will be no censorship,” while touring the area in between the stands.

Also this Saturday, a judicial decision allowed the seizure of LGBT-themed books directed to the juvenile public without seals and warnings.

City Hall inspectors returned to Rio Centro this Saturday – they had already carried out an on-site inspection on Friday – but by 7:45 PM they had not visited the stands.

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