Holocaust float out of Rio carnival

By · January 31, 2008

A carnival float depicting dead Holocaust victims was banned from a Rio de Janeiro parade.

A Brazilian judge issued the injunction against the float, which was to appear Sunday in the famed carnival, at the request of the Jewish Federation of Rio de Janeiro, according to The Associated Press.

The federation filed suit under a Brazilian law that prohibits Nazi propaganda and racism.

The float’s creators, a top Rio samba group, say its depiction of piles of corpses is a respectful commemoration of the Holocaust. They told the AP the float was designed to remind carnival-goers of the past to prevent tragedy in the future.

The judge called the group’s float a clear trivialization of barbaric events, according to the AP. A dancing Hitler accompanying the float had been planned.

On Wednesday, another group agreed to remove swastikas from dancers’ costumes following complaints from the Rio Jewish federation. Floats in previous years have been changed because of complaints from other religious groups, including the Roman Catholic Church.