'You are not a woman': 71-year-old man arrested for attacking trans councilor in Jundiaí
A 71-year-old man was arrested in Jundiaí, Brazil, for allegedly making transphobic remarks and attempting to run over transgender councilor Carla Basílio.
In Jundiaí, São Paulo, a 71-year-old man was arrested after a reported attempt to assault transgender councilor Carla Basílio during a public engagement event. The incident took place at a commercial establishment in Vila Hortolândia, where Basílio was interacting with constituents. The assailant allegedly made derogatory comments, calling her a 'vagabunda' and asserting that she was 'not a woman', before trying to hit her with his car.
Following the incident, the Municipal Guard was alerted and sought the man at his residence, but he was not found at that time. Later, the suspect turned himself in at the 1st Police District of Jundiaí. He was charged and arrested in flagrante delicto for crimes classified as prejudice and defamation, highlighting significant concerns regarding public safety and discrimination against transgender individuals in Brazil.
The councilor's team confirmed the nature of the remarks as transphobic and emphasized the troubling pattern of violence and discrimination faced by transgender leaders in the country. The event underscores the ongoing challenges that LGBTQ+ communities, particularly transgender individuals, confront in Brazil, amidst a backdrop of rising intolerance and hate crimes against marginalized groups.