Brazil’s State of Rio de Janeiro has passed a law that makes October 7 an annual “Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Massacre of the People of Israel by the Terrorist Group Hamas,” with the aim of “showing the importance of this date for the entire society of Rio de Janeiro.”
The initiative, which was sanctioned by Gov. Cláudio Castro, means Hamas’s massacre of 1,200 people and kidnapping of 251 people, including Brazilians, is formally recognized within the civic calendar. It amends Law No. 6645 of January 2010, which relates to the approval of commemorative dates in the state’s calendar and is now in force.
When proposing the bill in 2024, State Deputy Átila Nunes said: “The legislative proposal calls on current and future generations to reflect on one of the largest attacks carried out by the extremist group Hamas against Israel, on October 7, 2023, which culminated in the cold-blooded murder of babies, children, women, and the elderly, in addition to hundreds of young people, including foreigners of various nationalities, in the middle of the Jewish holiday, Shabbat. We intend that the commemoration of this date enables the development of a critical conscience so that crimes against the People of Israel are no longer repeated.”
“The scope of this proposal is to provide total solidarity to the people and government of Israel and to the Brazilian and Rio de Janeiro Jewish community,” he said.
CONIB (Israeli Confederation of Brazil) welcomed the approval of the new memorial day, which it said “reaffirms the commitment of the State of Rio de Janeiro to the fight against terrorism and to the preservation of the memory of the victims, an essential step so that atrocities like this will never be relatable or forgotten.”
A powerful message against antisemitism
The Combat Antisemitism Movement, a global coalition, said: “We express our sincere thanks to Governor Cláudio Castro, Deputy Átila Nunes, the author of the bill, and the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro for this meaningful act of solidarity and commitment to historical truth.”
“This leadership sends a powerful message: Remembering is a responsibility, and honoring the victims strengthens the entire society,” it said. “May this example inspire other states and the nation as a whole to take meaningful steps toward preserving memory and protecting all communities.”
Rio de Janeiro was the first Brazilian state to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which it did in November 2023.