Brazilian Man Jailed for Assaulting Muslim Women, Removing Hijabs
FOZ DO IGUAÇU, Brazil – A 33-year-old man, identified as Augusto César Vieira, was arrested last Thursday, , in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná state, after physically assaulting two Muslim women wearing hijabs. The assaults, captured on shopping mall security cameras, have sparked outrage and condemnation.
The incident occurred in a shopping mall when Vieira reportedly approached the two women, engaged in a brief argument, and then began physically attacking them. Footage shows him repeatedly striking one of the women while she was on the ground. Both women required medical attention for their injuries.
According to reports, the women are foreign nationals, one of Lebanese origin and the other from Syria. Foz do Iguaçu has the second-largest Arab community in Brazil.
Vieira was taken into custody and charged with both bodily harm and racism, crimes under Brazilian law that carry a potential prison sentence of two to five years. The case is being treated by authorities as an act of religious intolerance.
The assailant has a history of religiously motivated offenses, with previous incidents recorded in , , and . In one instance, he allegedly entered a mosque and disrupted a religious service with abusive language towards worshippers, according to authorities.
During questioning, Vieira reportedly told police he has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is on medication for psychiatric issues. However, a medical report submitted by his lawyers indicated that he had discontinued his psychiatric treatment, and that his “history of persecution against those who profess Islam dates back to .”
The Public Prosecutor’s Office for Women of the Foz do Iguaçu Municipal Chamber issued a statement expressing its indignation at the attack. “We stand in solidarity with the victims, their families, and the entire Muslim community, reaffirming our permanent commitment to defending women’s rights, combating all forms of violence, and promoting respect between peoples and religions,” the statement read.
The incident comes amid growing concerns about Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslims in Brazil. A recent study, the first of its kind in Latin America, revealed that 73 percent of female Muslim interviewees have experienced some form of aggression in public spaces. While most of these attacks were verbal, 10 percent reported being physically assaulted.
The study, conducted by the Anthropology in Islamic and Arab Contexts Group led by anthropologist Francirosy Barbosa, highlights the challenges faced by Muslim women in Brazil, particularly those who choose to wear the hijab. The decision to wear a head covering can be a difficult process for many Muslim women in the country, and can unfortunately make them targets for prejudice and violence.
In a separate incident reported in , a woman in Brazil expressed fear of wearing her hijab in public after being verbally attacked by a man at a bus stop in Vitória, Espírito Santo state. The man reportedly shouted insults at her and her friend, both wearing hijabs, accusing them of being “weak women” and making threats related to harmful stereotypes about Muslims.
