The lights of the Christ statue in Rio turned off in solidarity with Vinicius Júnior (photo)

The lights of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro were turned off last night in solidarity with Real Madrid and Brazilian national team winger Vinicius Júnior, who was subjected to racist abuse by Valencia fans.

The action was organized by the Archdiocesan Sanctuary of Christ the Redeemer, the Brazilian Confederation of Football (CBF) and the Observatory of Racial Discrimination in Football.

It started at 18:00 local time. The lights were turned off for one hour.

The organizers stated that their action should be "a symbol of the collective fight against racism and a sign of solidarity with the player as well as with those who suffer from prejudice around the world."