From Portugal, young man orders massacres and death of 17-year-old Brazilian woman

A 17-year-old Portuguese student was behind the orchestration of hate crimes in Brazil, operating from two cities near Porto, Portugal. One of these crimes resulted in the tragic death of São Paulo student Giovanna Bezerra, also 17 years old.

Bezerra was shot in the head by a 16-year-old boy, who allegedly used his father’s legal gun to commit the crime planned by the Portuguese teenager, a Nazi sympathizer.

The principal is identified as a sympathizer and promoter of Nazi ideas, according to an investigation carried out by the Judicial Police (PJ), the young Portuguese man spent his time between the peaceful cities of Santa Maria da Feira and Gondomar. His arrest last week caused commotion among the inhabitants of these municipalities.

Santa Maria da Feira is recognized for the annual holding of the Medieval Fair, a festival that painstakingly recreates the atmosphere of medieval times. Gondomar is famous for its river beaches and the jewelry industry. Although his parents were separated, the young man spent a week in each city, but was detained in Santa Maria da Feira.

In addition to switching between cities, the young man changed profiles and identities on the Discord platform, from where he coordinated four attacks in Brazil. The platform collaborated with authorities in the investigation.

Despite the difficulties faced by the police due to their movement, three of the attacks were prevented, including plans to attack Brazilian schools and against a beggar. The plan was to film and broadcast the attacks on the platform.

“The investigation (…) had the collaboration of the Federal Police. It was initiated as a matter of urgency, taking into account the seriousness of the suspicions. It aimed to understand and identify the online activity of the detainee, a Portuguese man who promoted Nazism, inciting extremist behavior,” the PJ said in a statement.

The court maintained the young man’s preventive detention, who could be tried for murder and 11 other crimes. He is identified as the intellectual author of the murder of Giovanna Bezerra, which occurred during a shooting at the Sapopemba State School, in the east zone of São Paulo, in October 2023.

“Through violent and extremist ideas, he gave advice on the modus operandi (…) in the preparation and practice of crimes. It was following these behaviors that the attack with a 38-caliber revolver came at a school in Sapopemba, resulting in the death of a 17-year-old girl,” said the PJ.

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