The production of the discourse about “chacina do Benfica” and the criminalization of organized supporters in Fortaleza/CE

Abstract

This work aimed to understand the production of discourse and the dynamics of criminalization of the youths that make up the Supporters Organized from the event that became known as “Chacina do Benfica”, held on the night of March 9, 2018 in Fortaleza / CE. In the episode, 7 people were murdered and 7 were injured during an armed offensive in the Benficaneighborhood, a university symbol of Ceará. We analyze the speeches produced on the episode, based on the official statements of the Government of the State of Ceará and the journalistic material divulged during the events and investigations. Many of the speeches officially pronounced by the state government have put the “war between factions” as responsible for the conflicts that have occurred in the state. As a methodology, we conduct Bibliographic Research based on dialogue with authors who discuss discourse analysis, violence and Supporters Organized; and, Documentary Research with consultations to the publications of the newspapers O Povo, Diário do Nordeste and Tribuna do Ceará. In the “Chacina do Benfica” episode, the official declarations of the secretary of security pointed out the history of conflicts between the Supporters Organized linked to the teams Ceará and Fortaleza as a catalyst for the events of March 9. In this way, we realize that, even with the investigations still in progress, the discourses produced by the government and the media tended to criminalize the youths who make up Supporters Organized by the events that occurred in the Benfica neighborhood, as well as the individuals who are linked to these groups.