The Movement Against Intolerance filed a criminal complaint with the Hate Crimes Prosecutor’s Office on Monday, highlighting a sustained racist campaign targeting Vinicius Junior across social networks, media channels, and surrounding the Cívitas Metropolitano stadium.
During a week that saw the football world vocally condemn racial slurs directed at Brazilian players, several ultra fans gathered near the stadium before the upcoming derby between Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid. They directed chants at Vinicius that included demeaning phrases such as you are a monkey.
Nevertheless, the organization stressed that no discussion of celebrations or any outcome of a goal justifies a series of unlawful acts involving racist and xenophobic hate speech and crimes in digital spaces, media narratives, around the venue, or on the playing field. Such acts cast the player as a victim of racism, xenophobia, and intolerance, the Movement Against Intolerance asserted.
The group urged the Hate Crimes Prosecutor to intervene promptly. It noted that the Penal Code clearly forbids demonstrations intended to commit crimes and penalizes those who organize or oversee such demonstrations.
The Movement Against Intolerance also sent a letter to the Minister of State for Sport to remind authorities that racist, xenophobic, and intolerant acts are prohibited under sports legislation and should be sanctioned by the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance, as mandated by law.
In the letter, it was stated that the Observatorio on Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport has not met in a context of increasing incidents of racism and intolerance affecting players from various clubs, according to the Supreme Sports Council, underscoring a need for proactive oversight and accountability.