Campus in Curitiba Receives Threats

By Xiu Ying, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The wave of threats to schools and educational institutions has reached the largest public university in the Southern state of Paraná, UFPR. In the past few days, a threat of an attack to the institution has been circulating on social media and messaging apps.

The threat contains noticeably discriminatory content targeting people with HIV, women, and Afro-Brazilians. The messages also include two references commonly used by racist groups: the Valhala, which comes from Nordic mythology and is a resting place for the dead, and a sequence of numbers originated from the slogan of a famous American white-separatist leader who is inspired by Adolf Hitler.

In the series of messages, the author added a map of the Polytechnic campus, in Jardim das Américas, and revealed that the attack will be on campus.

In a statement, the university said that it is one of many institutions that has suffered threats since the attack in Suzano-SP, which happened in March.

UFPR stated that it activated the security sector of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN), the Military police, the Federal police, and the Núcleo de Combate ao Cibercrimes (Unit for Combatting Cybercrimes) of the Civil Police. The university also appointed a security team to assist in the investigations.

“The university is making all the necessary arrangements to ensure the maintenance of all activities and preserve the physical integrity of the university community. The Rectorate reiterates its commitment to democratic principles, repudiates all forms of violence and discrimination,” the statement said.