Racismo religioso: as operações policiais militares nos espaços sagrados do candomblé, na cidade de Salvador, entre 2005 e 2023

Abstract

Racism has been a structural and institutional problem in our society. Various institutions, including military organizations, have also reproduced this practice among their members, both inside and outside certain religious spaces. In this context, this work discusses religious racism and the educational practices aimed at addressing this issue. The general objective of the research is to understand religious racism and its interface with the Military Police, both in terms of practicing racism and the institutional response to it. The research is guided by the question of the practice of religious racism committed by members of the Military Police of Bahia against the sacred spaces of Candomblé and its followers. The central question is: how has the Military Police of Bahia responded institutionally to the practice of religious racism committed by its members against the sacred spaces of Candomblé and its followers in the city of Salvador during the period from 2005 to 2023? The theoretical framework was built using, among others, the concepts of racism (FREITAS, 2015; ALMEIDA, 2018; SODRÉ, 2023), police (OLIVEIRA, 2014, 2003), religious racism (NASCIMENTO, 2016; OLIVEIRA, 2017; RAMOS and BARBOSA, 2019), and Candomblé (SANTOS, 2010; NASCIMENTO, 2013). The investigation was based on bibliographic research (analysis of selected works and articles that contributed to the construction of the analytical framework), documentary research (collection and interpretation of institutional documents), and also includes data collection through semi-structured interviews. As a result of the investigation, the researcher presents a summary of a manual for police actions in the sacred spaces of Afro-Brazilian religions.