Brazilian court condemns RedeTV! and Sikêra Jr. for calling gays a "disgraceful race."
The ruling establishes a payment of R$300 for collective moral damages.
247 - Last Monday (27), the court condemned presenter Sikêra Jr and RedeTV! for practicing homophobia in programs broadcast by the station in 2021, reports F5The ruling establishes a payment of R$300 for collective moral damages, which will be allocated to the Federal Fund for the Defense of Diffuse Rights. The decision is subject to appeal.
The lawsuit, filed by LGBTQIA+ movement organizations and the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, also involved the Federal Public Defender's Office. According to documents obtained by this column, the conviction resulted from homophobic statements made by Sikêra Jr. during the presentation of the program "Alerta Nacional," which he hosted until 2023.
Among the most serious statements, one stands out: one made in June 2021, when Sikêra Jr. referred to the LGBTQIA+ community aggressively while criticizing a Burger King commercial that addressed diversity. "You are disgusting. We are silent, swallowing this wretched race, but there will come a time when we will have to make more noise. Let the child grow, play, discover for themselves. The commercial is rotten, disgusting. This is not conversation for children," the presenter said at the time.
Federal Judge Ingrid Schroder Slikwa, of the 5th Court of Porto Alegre, was responsible for judging the case. She stated that RedeTV! and Sikêra Jr. crossed the line of what is acceptable by promoting discriminatory, prejudiced, and exclusionary speeches, especially against a minority. "The communication activity carried out by the presenter implies, by its nature, a risk to the rights of others, especially when the constitutionally enshrined freedom of the press and communication is practiced excessively," the judge highlighted in the ruling.
The decision also mandates that RedeTV! remove from the air the videos containing the offensive remarks made by Sikêra Jr. Contacted by this column, the presenter's lawyers did not comment on the conviction, while the broadcaster stated that it does not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
