Family Mourn for Brazilian Victim

[alarcojon]

Relatives and friends of Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian man shot by police in London, have expressed their grief, shock and anger at the killing.

His London-based cousin, Alex Pereira, paid tribute to him but sharply criticised authorities for the error.

His grandmother said there was no reason for considering him a terrorist.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4711779.stm

This also jumped out at me:

...the BBC's Tom Gibb in Brazil said Mr Menezes' experience of Sao Paulo's slum areas meant that he might.....have run in reaction to having a gun pulled on him.

[alarcojon]

1. Let me add one more quote from the article

They {the police} said Mr Menezes' apparently bulky clothing added to their suspicions. Some Brazilians find even summer weather in the UK cold and often dress warmly.

[CatholicEdHead]

2. Many people would freak out if they had a gun pulled out at them

[AuntieM1957]

3. Never even been in a slum

and trust me, I would be in the freaked out group if a gun should be pointed at me.

Don't know if I'd run. But I'm outraged.

I thought of G.B. as the last bastion of sanity because the cops didn't carry guns.

This incident has upset me more than the actual terrorist attacks. It's playing into the hands of the terrorists and becoming what they thought we were.

I'd love to see just one news story that mentions that slant - instead of ones that indicate it will either happen again or that it was his fault for running in an overcoat!

Has anyone seen any signs of sanity in the news related to this incident? Please share them - I need the hope.

[MasonJar]

4. I spent the last week of June and the first week of July in England

and except for a two day heat wave, it was quite chilly the entire time I was there.

[bennywhale]

5. I argued the same point with another Duer earlier. A report in the

New Internationalist this month cites Brasil as having the second highest handgun deaths in the world.

I think the standard drill when four unidentifiable dudes pull out glocks is to run for your life.

[daleo]

6. There seems to be some dispute about the jacket now

"They said Mr Menezes' apparently bulky clothing added to their suspicions. Some Brazilians find even summer weather in the UK cold and often dress warmly.

But cousin Patricia Armani said she did not remember him wearing a padded jacket.

"He didn't use to feel cold. In the winter he even walked on the street with T-shirt," she told the BBC Brasil.com"

It ought to be a simple point to clear up, though.

[alarcojon]

7. Hmmmm, interesting

Not sure what to make of it. Could it be he wasn't even wearing a jacket? It wouldn't be the first piece of misinformation about this case.

[daleo]

8. Yes, that is the problem

So many other "facts" have been wrong, that we really need to see some proof. The jacket should be in evidence, but it wouldn't be a pretty sight.

[LisaL]

12. The jacket should be intact, since the guy was shot in the head.

[alarcojon]

13. So where is it?!?!?! eom

[The Stranger]

9. Murder.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. The Brazilian media is piling on it GOOD. And people are pissed.

They spent about half an hour talking about it in yesterday night's news. (Covering protests, interviewing the family etc)

[alarcojon]

11. My sincerest sympathies to the Brazilian people

and I hope you get justice.