Author Lucia Vicente, who wrote a children’s book about inclusion and diversity with neutral language, is considering filing a complaint with the prosecutor’s office after a group of people interrupted the launch.
“Perhaps we are filing a complaint with the Ministry of Prosecutor’s Office, because what happened there is pure censorship,” she told the Lusa agency, indicating that the action is being considered jointly with the illustrator Thiago M. and the publisher.
The situation, which occurred on Friday afternoon, was condemned this Saturday by the publishing group Penguin Randon House as a “threat to freedom of expression.”
In a statement, the company said that a “terrifying protest with megaphone in hand” broke out at the bookstore where the presentation took place in Lisbon, with the goal of “silencing the voices of the author and presenters” and “directly confronting the public who were previously watching.”
In a conversation with Lusa, Lucia Vicente stated that she was “more or less prepared” because when the publisher announced the book’s release, there was an immediate backlash.
“No Meu Bairro” brings together 12 rhyming short fiction stories featuring children talking about their lives, racism, gender identity, religion, bullying and activism: there is the story of “Beatrice, the Happy Gypsy” from Magalhães. “the boy who had two mothers” or Rodrigo who “wants to go buy a dress.”
On the writer’s Facebook, you can see several messages of hatred and insults, such as “Let children be children. You perverts (…), stop imposing your disgusting plans” or “You are mentally retarded.”
According to the writer, the presentation was about to begin when she noticed that seven people came in and came to “destabilize the launch” of the book.
“Nevertheless, they sat down in an orderly manner and watched the presentation,” he said. Before the illustrator finished his presentation, three or four more people entered, one of them with a megaphone, which prevented the presentation from continuing.
According to the author, Esquadra do Rato was contacted, whose agents identified the protesters.
Portuguese PEN also issued a statement rejecting the incident and defending mutual respect between people, as well as freedom of expression.
Lucia Vicente also said that the protest, which she considered an “illegal demonstration”, was filmed by people present. “There will be distorted videos of what was said,” he predicted.
“The goal was physical intimidation,” he added.
For Lucia Vicente, it would be “very easy” to publish the book without using inclusive language, but “you have to take the first step, someone has to give their body to the bullets.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal

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