The iconic Brazilian landmark Christ the Redeemer went dark for an hour on Monday evening in support of Vinicius Junior and his battle of against racism.
As per Relevo, the statue is normally lit up by lights at nighttime, but those were turned off for an hour between 18:00 and 19:00 local time in order to show support for Vinicius.
The reaction to the images beamed around the world of Vinicius nearly in tears after being racially abused have caused disgust across the globe, but understandably has been met with a particularly strong reaction. President Lula da Silva even took time out of the G7 summit to speak on the matter.
Vinicius himself released a statement on Twitter thanking Brazil and those around the world for their support in recent months, warning that he won’t give up.
“Black and imposing. Christ the Redeemer was just like that. An action of solidarity that moves me. But I want, above all, to inspire and bring more light to our struggle.”
“I really appreciate the current of affection and support I’ve received in the last few months. Both in Brazil and around the world. I know exactly who’s who. Count on me, because the good ones are the majority and I won’t give up.”
Preto e imponente. O Cristo Redentor ficou assim há pouco. Uma ação de solidariedade que me emociona. Mas quero, sobretudo, inspirar e trazer mais luz à nossa luta.
Agradeço demais toda a corrente de carinho e apoio que recebi nos últimos meses. Tanto no Brasil quanto mundo… pic.twitter.com/zVBcD4eF8k
— Vini Jr. (@vinijr) May 22, 2023
“I have a purpose in life and if I have to suffer more and more so that future generations don’t go through similar situations, I’m ready and prepared.”
Earlier in the evening, Vinicius had released video compiling the racial abuse that he has suffered in recent months, making the point that these are not isolated incidents. Barcelona defender Jules Kounde is one of many who have defended him online.
