Video Reveals Inaction During Violent Aggression Against Black Actor in São Paulo

11/21/2017 - 10h18

Images recorded by security cameras reveal the moment in which actor Diogo Cintra, 24, flees from a man who is running with a piece of wood in his hand and is then taken out of the Dom Pedro bus terminal in the center of São Paulo on Wednesday (the 15th).

The images show security guards looking on passively at the scene of violence and not doing anything to prevent the aggression. Passengers who were waiting for transportation also observed all of the action without any apparent reaction.

	Danilo Verpa/Folhapress
	Diogo Cintra

A few women are seeing moving back from the actor while he attempts to run away from the attackers. In another part of the video, he appears to be staggering after the violence, missing one of his shoes, while boarding a bus.

The images are consistent with testimony published by Cintra the next day on social networks. He accuses the security guards of racism for having refused to help him after he said that he was being mugged and chased by three men.

In an interview with Folha, the actor said that he was on his way home to the Capão Redonda neighborhood in the southern zone after spending the night at a party with cast members from the play he is currently performing in. He was standing next to the terminal when he was approached by three men who tried to mug him.

Since he was close to the turnstiles, he decided to run for help. One security guard told him to run away. Then the attackers themselves appear, accusing him of having attempted to assault them.

He explained that, even though he insisted that he hadn't tried to rob anyone, the security guards believed in the attackers' version of the story and did nothing while he was dragged away from the terminal. He believes that the security guards' reaction was due his being black.

Diogo remembers being hit in the head and beaten all over his body while on the sidewalk.

Due to public reaction, the Municipal Transportation Secretary for João Doria's Administration (Brazilian Social Democracy Party) communicated on Saturday (the 18th) the dismissal of the employees who were involved.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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