University investigates 198 students involved in racist prank in Brazil

Raphael Michilis Fonseca

A group of university students are being accused of racism, sexism, and prejudice in Brazil.

Student painted in black during prank. The sign reads: Rookie Chica da Silva. 

Chica da Silva was a slave that  became famous for having an affair with her 

master, who later freed her. Through that relationship she gained prestige,

 financial and influential power

They are subject of an internal inquiry at the Federal University in the estate of Minas Gerais UFMG. 

The 198 graduate students are suspect of involvement in a prank that made references to slavery and Nazism.

The administrative process opened by the university against the students,

Here Xica da Silva, born in the

same state where the prank

took place, was made into a 

TV soap opera character. 

however, only investigates their involvement in selling and distributing alcohol during the prank event which took place last March 15.

At least half of the students investigated in the case, 99, are rookies who suffered the prank. 

The University did not explain why the words racism, sexism, prejudice, slavery and Nazism were not included in the process.


Pranking events are traditional in universities all over the country and happens every semester as an initiation/welcome ritual. 

Severe university pranks in Brazil have gained media attention in several other occasions, when students who couldn’t swim died after being thrown into swimming pools for instance.