Controversy at famed steps in Rio over inscription in Arabic

Record ID: 1628064

  • Title: Controversy at famed steps in Rio over inscription in Arabic
  • Date: 22nd July 2021
  • Summary: PEOPLE STEPPING NEAR THE BLUE TILE IN ARABIC BLUE TILE READING (Arabic): "Allah is victorious" SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (JULY 20, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIGITAL INFLUENCER, THAWAB ALSUBAIE, SAYING: "The beginning when I saw it, it's like, you know, I like it! And it's something written from our religion and it means, you know, 'the winner is Allah' or 'only God is victory.' Or it's something like this, you know but it's written in Arabic. So I like it. But, you know, I realise that it's to be honoured to go in an upper position and here's the point, here is this the idea came from our, from my followers when they suggested that idea." RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (JULY 19, 2021) (REUTERS) WHITE TILE WITH BROWN LETTERS READING (Arabic): "Allah is victorious" TOURISTS WALKING NEAR WHITE TILE IN ARABIC TOURIST'S SHOE IN FRONT OF WHITE TILE IN ARABIC WHILE SHE POSES FOR A PICTURE TOURIST LEAVING AFTER HAVING HER PICTURE TAKEN SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (JULY 20, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIGITAL INFLUENCER, THAWAB ALSUBAIE, SAYING: ''As a respect for all people, all religions, different cultures and because these stairs is amazing and it has many, many symbols from different cultures and religions and so the better way is to put it in the upper position or to hang it in the wall." RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (JULY 19, 2021) (REUTERS) TOURISTS DESCENDING THE SELARON STEPS TILE ON THE WALL WRITTEN IN ARABIC (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) TOUR GUIDE, ALINE VIANA, SAYING: "Here on the stairs there is another tile with sacred words and it is on the wall in the right place so people will not step on it. It can be used as an example to compare between the one that is on the ground and this one on the wall, so this one here is right and it is in the right place." PEOPLE WALKING NEXT TO BLUE TILE READING (Arabic): "Allah is victorious" WHITE TILE READING (Arabic): "Allah is victorious" TOURIST GUIDE ALINE VIANA AND CREATOR OF SELARON PIECE OF THE WORLD PROJECT, ANDRE ANGULO, ON THE SELARON STEPS (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CREATOR OF SELARON PIECE OF THE WORLD PROJECT, ANDRE ANGULO, SAYING: "Let's sit down and talk first with the Institute of World Heritage of Rio, which is the organization in control of municipal cultural heritage within the city council of Rio de Janeiro. Actually, we talked of how we can make something about this case. Substituting based in all of the theories of Brandian restoration in the right way so we can resolve this act of cultural kidnapping of the Islamic people." GENERAL OF THE SELARON STEPS
  • Embargoed: 5th August 2021 15:33
  • Keywords: Islam Jorge Selaron Rio de Janeiro Selaron Steps
  • Location: RIO DE JANEIRO & SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
  • City: RIO DE JANEIRO & SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: South America / Central America,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA003EMX8THJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Social media users are asking for two tiles that have the phrase "Allah is victorious" written on them to be moved from the stair steps and placed on a wall in the Selaron Steps, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
    Saudi digital influencer Thawab Alsubaie found the tiles in the iconic Rio attraction created by the Chilean artist Jorge Selaron and posted them on his Snapchat. His followers in Saudi Arabia quickly reacted because sacred names should not be placed close to where you step.
    "(In) the beginning when I saw it, it's like, you know, I like it! And it's something written from our religion" said Alsubaie. "The better way is to put it in the upper position or to hang it in the wall."
    In Brazil, tour guide Aline Viana decided to help Alsubaie spread the message among Brazilians through her YouTube channel.
    "Here in the stairs there is another tile with sacred words and it is on the wall in the right place so people will not step on it" said Viana.
    The local government has said that they are looking into the case.
    (Production: Sergio Queiroz, Leonardo Benassatto, Leandra Camera, Nina Lopez)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register