Police Locate Death Threat Suspect of First Black Councilor in Santa Catarina State Largest City

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Civil Police identified a man suspected of having last week threatened to kill the elected city councilor of Joinville, in northern Santa Catarina, Ana Lúcia Martins. On Sunday morning, November 22nd, officers served a search and seizure warrant at the suspect’s residence. He was interrogated and is still free.

According to Cláudia Gonçalves, head of the Police Station for the Protection of Children, Adolescents, Women and the Elderly (DPCAMI), the suspect suffers from schizophrenia, lives with his mother and may have been incited to make the comments. The police are investigating if other people are involved.

“We realized that it’s not only related to Joinville, maybe there is an inter-municipal connection,” Cláudia said. “He creates many things. He does not specifically seem to be the leader of anything, so he may be a piece of the puzzle,” said the delegate.

Ana Lúcia, the first black city councilor elected, was attacked on social media after the result of the 2020 municipal elections. On a social media post, a profile now attributed to the suspect suggested killing her so that the white alternate could access the municipal legislature. The post has already been deleted.

The warrant was served in the Paranaguamirim neighborhood, in the southern region of the municipality. In the house, police confirmed the suspect’s psychiatric diagnosis. Reports, exams and medication were located.

The family was also interviewed about the young man’s profile and his social media posts, but said they did not know about the crime. The person responsible for the suspect also told the police that he had been very restless in recent days and, on Wednesday, November 18th, had swallowed his cell phone SIM card. The police are trying to understand whether he did this on his own or if he was directed.

People close to the young man will be interviewed in the coming days. A doctor who has already treated the suspect may also be asked to provide a deposition.

Electronic equipment, such as a computer, hard drive and cell phone were seized at the residence and will be examined by an expert. The Santa Catarina Prosecutor’s Office (MPSC) is following the case. In the city councilor’s inquiry, the crime of racism was included, as well as racial insult and threat.

“We have evidence of racial insult, threat and crime of racism under Article 20. Because the problem was not city councilor Ana Lúcia herself. He would have reacted the same way if any black person were there, in that position,” said the delegate.

Profile

According to the delegate, the suspect has a history of violence and spends much of his time in this virtual environment, between online games and social media interactions. The police found the young man after filtering profiles that post racist and neo-Nazi content. The writing style, and the profile photo used in other social networks, were key to locating the young man.

According to Cláudia, there are two police reports [registered against him], “but they are not related to racism or Nazism”. The delegate said that the young man had contact with a group of students at school who had racist and neo-Nazi views.

Attacks

At least four messages against the city councilor were posted last Monday, November 16th. One of the comments read: “The fascists sent word that she should be careful”. In another post it was written: “Now all we need to do is to kill her and let in the alternate who is white”.

After the disclosure of the case, the Full Council of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB/SC) repudiated the attacks on Ana Lúcia. The body officially requested the Secretariat of Public Safety (SSP) to prioritize the investigation of the crime.

Elected city councilor

Ana was born in the Floresta neighborhood, South Zone of Joinville, she worked as a public servant, teacher and is one of the leaders in the defense of women’s rights, the black population, immigrants and the peripheral community in the city, which is the largest electoral college in Santa Catarina.

The city councilor said on Thursday, November 19th, that when she learned of the death threat published on social media on Tuesday, during a meeting with advisors, she immediately thought: “What happened to Marielle is going to happen to me. And I thought to myself, come on, I haven’t even been sworn in yet”.

The elected city councilor, who was ranked seventh in the municipal elections, said that the incident strengthened her plans to pursue peace in the legislature. She will take office for the 2021 – 2024 administration.

“I have been a member of social movements since my teens, I have participated in the black movement, in the black women’s organization, and all these movements have strengthened this candidacy and all these movements and many others are being supportive. No one is going to stop us from filling this position,” she said.

Source: G1

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