Brazil attack on a company that Netflix produced on "Gay Jesus"
About two million people petitioned for the streaming service to remove the film showing the father of Christianity bringing a friend to meet the holy family. Three members of the far-right group even threw Molotov cocktails down the production company in Rio de Janeiro. Police opened an investigation on suspicion of attempted murder
The video also featured an imperial flag of Brazil. Jesus statue on Mount Corcovado (Photo: ShutterStock)
Jesus statue on Mount Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Photo: ShutterStock)
On Christmas Eve, an underground group threw an incendiary bomb to the offices of Brazilian production company Porta dos Fundos, which produced for Netflix a special movie about "Jesus Christ." Yesterday (Thursday), local police said they would investigate the attack as a homicide attempt after the group accepted responsibility for the attack in a video that included an extreme religious statement. None of the company's employees were injured.
The group portrayed itself in the video as "the popular national uprising of the great Brazilian integral family." The video was circulated on social media at the end of Christmas, where the group said it carried out the attack on the production company headquarters in Rio de Janeiro.
In the video, three men appeared in black ski masks and dressed in dark green jumpsuits. In a statement they read strongly criticized Netflix and the movie, in front of a flag bearing the Greek letter Sigma, the Brazilian Instagram symbol of the 1930s, inspired by European fascism. In addition, an imperial flag of Brazil, the national emblem under the former monarchy of Brazil, also appeared.
Three weeks ago, Netflix brought to its services the movie, which was described as "Jesus' first seduction," portraying Jesus as a young man who brought a friend to his home to meet the Holy Family. About two million people petitioned the streaming service to remove the film claiming to offend Christians.
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Brazil's President Javier Bolsonaro waves to his supporters during Brazil's Christmas celebration December 19, 2019 (Photo: AP)
Brazilian police said at a news conference in Rio that they had verified the content of the video showing three men in ski masks lighting Molotov cocktails and throwing them down the company. Police also said a similarly-named group and symbol, the Brazilian Integral Front, had ruled out any connection to the video, so investigators were unsure that attackers were in fact part of the far-right group they claim to belong to. In addition, a special case handling task force was established.
The production company said it hoped the perpetrators would be caught and punished and that Brazil would "survive this hate storm."
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Brazil's integral movement emphasized Christianity, traditional family values and authoritarian politics, and sought to suppress differences in society. Brazil also has an evangelical Christian community that is growing fast and supporting the right-wing government of President Javier Bolsonaro, who once said he would rather lose a child than have a gay son.
Giuliano Midirus, leader of the opposition party, urged prosecution. "If the authorities do not give a swift and harsh response against such acts, Brazil may be in a state of even more violence," Matiros said on Twitter.