Associations ask politicians to fight racism and growth of the far right

An open letter from various associations and collectives of people of African descent and gypsies demanded this Wednesday from political leaders to combat racism and the growth of the extreme right in Portugal, and to show solidarity to the victims of racial attacks.

The initiative, called “Silence is an accomplice”, calls on policymakers and institutions to “activate procedural mechanisms to combat racism and the growth of the extreme right”, and to give “an unequivocal and public signal about unacceptability. of racist political and party acts and organizations “. The letter, sent to Lusa by the Movimento Negro Portugal, also asks them to “show their solidarity with the victims of these attacks”.

“Systematic denial and inaction is the bed of impunity for racism that has escalated to levels that we had previously become unaccustomed to. Our lives matter. The silence of institutions is complicit”, highlights the document sent to the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the Prime Minister, António Costa, among other political leaders.

The initiative, which brings together 34 anti-racist groups from various parts of the country, such as SOS Racismo, Negro Movement, Afrolis, Djass, Consciência Negra, Femafro or Aurora Negra, highlights that, “in the short space of four weeks, Portuguese society was the stage of racist demonstrations “, arguing that this escalation requires” a swift response and an explicit positioning of the competent entities in a democratic rule of law “.

The letter also states that on Saturday, in front of the headquarters of the SOS Racismo association, in Lisbon, there was “a stop by a neo-Nazi group, with their faces covered and torches”, and that before the “escalation of the attacks” there was “no demonstration. public institutional rejection “.

The document also recalls that after the “brutal murder” of actor Bruno Candé “at the hands of an ex-combatant of the colonial war” there was “no institutional statement of regret and committed to anti-racism”.

“The condolences and institutional support never reached the family. Instead, on the part of the State, we had the prompt public statement by the commissioner of the Metropolitan Command of Lisbon (Cometlis) of the PSP, minimizing the racist motivations in this murder”, he emphasizes.

Portuguese actor Bruno Candé was shot dead on July 25, in the heart of Moscavide, Loures. This initiative also criticizes the fact that the leaders of the PSD and the PCP have denied the existence of racism in Portugal.

“Now other figures from these parties came timidly trying to give the opposite signal, but without correcting the error. The PSD leader goes so far as to show himself available for an understanding with Chega if he is more moderate, showing how indifferent he is, politically and ethically, the path of incitement to racial hatred and contempt for democracy that Chega has achieved “, highlights the letter.

The text also emphasizes that the “two counter-manifestations” of the Chega party “under the cover” Portugal is not racist “” incite “anti-racism”.

“It goes so far as to search the private life of a black child, to spread slanderous information about Bruno Candé, a few days after his death. At a dinner in Leiria, André Ventura [líder do Chega], the same who proposed the confinement of the gypsy community and who since his candidacy for Loures has incited hatred and persecuted that community, insults one of the black deputies again: ‘They who go to their countries, because that is where they are needed ‘”, points.

“In view of this collision constant in our Constitution, the action of the competent entities has been null”, warns the letter.

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