The family of Genivaldo de Jesus Santos, killed by asphyxiation in a car on Wednesday (25) in Umbaúba (SE), says they believe that racism contributed to a truculent action by the Federal Highway Police and was instrumental in his death.
He was 38 years old, black and had schizophrenia. He was killed after police dropped tear gas and pepper spray in the trunk of the car in which he was placed after being approached for riding a motorcycle without a helmet.
Demarise de Jesus Santos, Genivaldo's sister, classified the police action as barbarism and said that the agents acted with cruelty without any justification.
"They are criminals, cold-blooded murderers. What they did there was just to do cruelty. I don't know if it was because my brother is poor and black, you know? After I saw those videos, I thought there was a total prejudice. If I were a white person, that wouldn't happen there", he said.
She stated that her brother had never suffered from prejudice and was well regarded in the community. In addition, she says that there was no reason for Genivaldo to have been handcuffed, knocked down and beaten by the police: "What I feel about this case is that it really is racism, there's no other word."
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon