São Vicente sculpture destroyed by fire

A fiberglass sculpture of the ‘Feiticeira’ (Sorceress) was destroyed by fire on Wednesday evening at Praia do Itararé in São Vicente, Brazil. The 3.5-meter tall monument, located on the rocks known as Pedra da Feiticeira, was quickly consumed by flames.

The Fire Department responded to the scene with eight firefighters and three vehicles. While the material damage was significant, no injuries were reported. Authorities have not yet officially determined the cause of the fire, and local police are investigating the incident.

The destruction of the landmark, which is tied to local folklore and sculpted by Francisco Telles, has raised discussions regarding potential religious intolerance. This follows a recent order from Supreme Court Minister Flávio Dino for the Federal Police to investigate a series of attacks against religious symbols and spaces across Brazil.