Political and partisan motivations are frequently used to justify hate crimes. Divergences in political opinions and values only intensify these incidents. At this point, reflection transcends limits to the same extent that political emotions have already transcended them.
- ASSASSINATION OF CHARLIE KIRK
The most recent example is Charlie Kirk, assassinated on September 10, 2025, during one of his events at Utah Valley University in Utah. He was a conservative political activist in the United States, known for his support and pro-Trump stance.
Kirk was on stage answering questions—as is customary at his public events—when he was struck by a bullet in the neck from a distance. Days later, it was confirmed that Tyler Robinson, 22, was responsible for the attack, and according to Utah authorities, the shooter’s family members assisted in the investigation.
- ATTACK ON JAIR BOLSONARO
Jair Bolsonaro, former President of the Republic, was stabbed on September 6, 2018, during the campaign for Brazil’s presidential elections. The attack took place in the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais. The candidate was being carried by supporters through the crowd when Adélio Bispo de Oliveira managed to get close and stabbed him in the abdomen. The scene was widely recorded and broadcast live, generating widespread shock and panic.
Questioned by authorities, Adélio stated that he acted “by order of God” and vehemently disagreed with Bolsonaro’s political views. Bolsonaro immediately underwent emergency surgery due to the severity of the injury and was sidelined from street campaign events. The attacker was arrested in the act. Subsequently, the Federal Court deemed Adélio not criminally responsible due to mental disorder and ordered his internment in a maximum-security facility.
- ASSASSINATION OF JOHN F. KENNEDY
On November 22, 1963, the U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, while parading in an open car. The event shocked the world and remains shrouded in controversies and political polarization to this day.
The initial official investigation, conducted by the Warren Commission, concluded that former Marine Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, firing from a window in the Texas School Book Depository. The alleged shooter was known for his pro-communist leanings and for having briefly lived in the Soviet Union, which, for many, indicated ideological motivation amid the Cold War polarization. However, Oswald denied shooting Kennedy, and his case never went to trial, as he himself was shot dead two days later by Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner with Mafia ties.
- ASSASSINATION OF MARIELLE FRANCO
Elected in 2016, the Rio de Janeiro city councilwoman from PSOL was a Black woman, sociologist, and human rights activist. On March 14, 2018, Marielle had just attended an event called “Young Black Women Moving Structures” in Lapa, downtown Rio de Janeiro, when she took a taxi. Minutes later, a car pulled up alongside, and its occupants opened fire with a submachine gun—a weapon restricted to the Federal Police.
Marielle was killed by four shots to the head. Investigations point to two former military police officers with militia ties as the perpetrators: Ronnie Lessa (the shooter) and Élcio Queiroz (the driver of the getaway car). The crime is treated as a political assassination, and investigations into the masterminds are still ongoing, with the case remaining open to this day.
The assassination reverberated around the world and became a symbol of the fight against political violence. International organizations, such as the UN and Amnesty International, demanded transparent investigations. It is considered one of the most emblematic political crimes in Brazil’s recent history, not only for its brutality but for its impact on discussions of democracy, security, and human rights.
EDUARDA DE NADAI GENERATO
Journalist