French Retailer Carrefour Sued for Black Man Death in Brazil

A Brazilian state attorney filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Carrefour to seek US$37.6 million in damages after a black man was beaten to death by security guards at the retailer's store in Porto Alegre city.

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Apart from claiming damages, the lawsuit by the attorney asked a court to shut the store in the city to "reduce the risk of possible hostile acts that could occur during protests."

Carrefour Brazil said in a statement that it had not been formally cited by the public defender's office and it would provide any information needed by the government.

The victim Joao Alberto Silveira Freitas, 40, had an argument with the supermarket's security guards, who later brutally beat him to death.

The meme reads, "A brutal homicide similar to the George Floyd murder sparks a wave of protests in Brazil. The victim was beaten and strangled to death by security guards inside a well-known supermarket chain."

"A life was treated with disrespect and treachery because, on several occasions, we can see that employees were more concerned about recording videos rather than the situation of Joao Alberto, who was immobilized and unable to breathe and speak, ”public defender Rafael Pedro Magagnin said, as reported by G1.

A protest was staged in front of the supermarket where the incident happened. Police in the city used tear gas and flash-bang grenades against citizens.

In Sao Paulo, about 1,000 protesters stormed a set of the French-owned Carrefour supermarket chain and trashed and burned goods.