Flávio Dino orders Federal Police to investigate attacks on religious sites

Supreme Federal Court Minister Flávio Dino has ordered the Federal Police to open an inquiry into a series of attacks against religious images and sacred spaces across multiple Brazilian states.

The decision follows reports of an apparent wave of violence targeting various religious symbols. The incidents include the destruction of a statue of Our Lady of Grace in Salvador, Bahia, and the vandalism of sacred symbols at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul.

Additionally, the minister noted acts of vandalism and theft at an Umbanda temple in Esmeraldas, Minas Gerais, along with other occurrences in Paraná, Alagoas, Mato Grosso, and Pará. The investigation will look into potential crimes including religious prejudice, qualified damage, arson, theft, and outrage against worship.