A Mozambican student claims to have been assaulted and subjected to racism, along with another young man, by security guards at the Oásis by Aché bar in Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, in the early hours of Sunday morning (04). However, the establishment, without ever referring to the alleged assaults, denied any racial discrimination.

According to a News to the MinuteAccording to the report, the young Mozambican, Aires Chichava, has been in Portugal for six months, studying Computer Engineering at Técnico Lisboa. It all happened at the Oásis by Aché nightclub/bar, where, together with "another young black man", identified as Edilson, he was the victim of "brutality and racism by the (white) security guards of the establishment".

"We were barred at the entrance with the excuse that the place was full and that we should wait. What happened next left us surprised and indignant, because we didn't understand why others could get in and we couldn't. We soon realized it was racism and protested," she said. We soon realized that it was racism and we protested," she said, noting that "other white people, who weren't together, arrived and entered".

According to the same publication, the young Mozambican had warned "that he was going to record the situation, but the security guards claimed image rights and, out of respect", he didn't proceed with the recording. "We continued to question the reason for the discrimination and, seconds later, Edilson was punched. Edilson, who is physically handicapped (his left arm is paralyzed), was left with bruises on his face and sores on his mouth," he said, noting that only one of the two security guards at the scene was involved in the assaults.

However, shortly after seeing his friend being beaten up, Aires Chichava says he was "knocked to the ground and also hit with punches, leaving him defenceless" on the ground.

"At the moment, I can't eat solid food because my front teeth are shaken, my gums are sore, my mouth is inflamed and my face is bruised," she said.

The student went to the Hospital de São Francisco Xavier, where he was told that he didn't have any fractures, but was recommended to go to the dentist and is already receiving treatment. The other young man, despite his injuries, chose not to go to any hospital.

However, via social media, the Oásis by Aché bar issued a clarification note about the "events of last night (Sunday)", which begins by stating that it values "respect, inclusion and equality for all customers, regardless of their color, race, gender or sexual orientation".

"Due to overcrowding, two customers were prevented from entering, which led to a misunderstanding," reads the note, in which the establishment states that "the decision to bar entry had nothing to do with racial issues".

(Photo DR)