Opinion – Renata Mendonça: Cases of harassment and racism multiply in the arenas, but no one reacts

The images shared on social media are shocking. But they do not generate so much embarrassment for those who watch them closely. A São Paulo fan imitates a monkey for a Fluminense fan in Morumbi. The victim films everything – because she knows that if the footage is not very clear, it will be easier for her to be investigated for slander herself than for the racist to answer for her racism.

The cell phone camera does not inhibit the fan’s discriminatory (and criminal) gesture. He continues with his performance – which he will surely describe as a joke; or else he will say he was itchy, as claimed by the Boca fan who made the same gesture in the Corinthians arena. Police officers arrive, but do not remove the racist to frame him in the crime he was committing. They just try to get him out of the way, avoid “confusion”.

Revolution is what should be there in front of this scene. Revolt, indignation, anything that showed that whoever was around there witnessing this scene would not be colluding with her. What happened was indifference.

This is what usually happens in cases of racism, especially when they happen in football stadiums. Midfielder Fellipe Bastos, from Goiás, went through this situation in the classic against Atletico-GO, when he was called a “monkey” by a fan. The player asked him to repeat. And he repeated: “monkey”.

Whoever was around did nothing. He didn’t ask the racist to stop saying that, he didn’t call the police, the stadium’s security was also omitted. They allowed racist offenses to occur without any embarrassment for the aggressor. Embarrassed, Fellipe Bastos remained there, without finding any support for his revolt. He took the case forward by filing a formal complaint with the police station.

Many people make a point of speaking out on social media when a case like this appears. It is important that the topic also gains repercussion on the internet, because this helps to not normalize situations like this anymore. However, this “outrage” and “outrage” need to get out of Twitter or Instagram. Our anti-racism cannot stop at the superficiality of a post.

It is worth noting that São Paulo has registered a police report against those involved and is helping to identify and punish them, according to the club. It wasn’t just on the repudiation note, apparently – thankfully.

But what about who was around? What about the police officers who passed by and did nothing but ward off the aggressor, instead of taking him to the police station after the act? When you witness a person reproducing racist behavior and you do nothing about it, you are conniving.

The same is commonly true of cases of harassment. Complaints made by women who were harassed (some forcefully kissed) at Mineirão in games this year drew attention. They questioned the treatment of the stadium security when they went to report what happened – none of the professionals proposed to ward off the harassers – and even the indifference of the people nearby, who did nothing to help the victims.

We were taught not to “meddle” and to shut up in situations like this. And even not to bother. It’s like it’s natural. Just a joke. Imagine, he’s just imitating a monkey, look, how funny. Geez, can’t you even shag a woman in the stadium now? Went to the game in shorts and want no one to come close?

The world is getting boring, that’s what they say. Well, the world needs to get even more boring for racists and harassers. For now, it’s still very comfortable for them.