Julio is a Rasta from Mauritius, a small island nation east of Madagascar. He was a talented young footballer, but he suffered discrimination and was targeted by police violence due to his ethnicity and religion.



The descendants of slavery from Africa do not have equal rights or opportunities in Mauritius. People who have been classified as part of the “General Population” are outside of the main three communities who hold power, and they lack political representation.



In this interview, Julio tells us about his experiences of growing up on the island and about the persecution that forced him to leave. We also talk about what it was like to come to the UK and the challenges of making a new life in a new land.



Julio has recently appeared in a documentary by Allez Productions entitled “Voice of the Voiceless – The story of a Rastafarian footballer.”