# Religious intolerance protests in Porto Alegre

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/religious-intolerance-protests-in-porto-alegre
> Updated: 2026-08-15T11:56:00.000Z. Sources: 15. Developments: 2.

Porto Alegre hosted the 3rd March of the Quimbandeiros and the 19th International Meeting of Quimbandeiros to protest religious intolerance and advocate for freedom of belief. Led by Pai Ricardo de Oxum, president of the Sociedade Beneficente Cultural Oxum e Oxalá, and the Família Yecari, the event sought to establish the city as a global reference for Quimbanda practitioners.

Organizers highlighted that while Rio Grande do Sul has the highest percentage of Umbanda and Candomblé followers in Brazil at 3.19%, according to 2022 IBGE census data, the region continues to face significant religious prejudice. The movement, which organizers state was born nearly two decades ago to combat the repression of religious manifestations, drew international participation from Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile.

Participants noted that practitioners in neighboring countries face similar challenges, such as police intervention in Argentina following complaints from neighbors, as well as ongoing struggles with visibility and acceptance in Uruguay and Chile.

## Claims

- Porto Alegre is hosting the 3rd March of the Quimbandeiros and the 19th International Meeting of Quimbandeiros. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Rio Grande do Sul has the highest percentage of Umbanda and Candomblé followers in Brazil at 3.19%. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Religious practitioners in Argentina face intolerance, including police intervention following neighbor complaints. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-15: Porto Alegre hosts march and meeting against religious intolerance

Porto Alegre hosts the March of the Quimbandeiros and an international meeting to combat religious intolerance against African-matrix traditions in Brazil and neighboring South American countries.

15 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/porto-alegre-hosts-march-and-international-meeting-against-religious-intolerance

### 2026-07-30: Porto Alegre to Host 40,000-Participant Legal Conference Cidade da Advocacia 2026

Porto Alegre will host the Cidade da Advocacia legal conference (Aug 4‑8, 2026) at Cais Embarcadero, expecting 40,000 attendees and featuring 250 panels on AI, digital law and more.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/porto-alegre-to-host-40000-participant-legal-conference-cidade-da-advocacia-2026

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Cite as: Religious intolerance protests in Porto Alegre. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/religious-intolerance-protests-in-porto-alegre