This is the moment a woman in a VIP box is filmed making monkey gestures towards the fans in the stands.

The woman has since been charged with racism over the incident, which took place at the Copa do Brasil final between top-flight football teams Athletico Paranaense and Atletico Mineiro in the Brazilian city of Curitiba on Wednesday, 15th December.

Footage filmed on a mobile phone shows how the unnamed Athletico Paranaense fan, who is sat in a VIP box, makes monkey gestures directed towards fans with cheaper tickets in the stands.

The 24-year-old woman was questioned by the police on Friday. She alleged the behaviour of the fans prompted her to make the gestures.

According to the woman, fellow Athletico Paranaense supporters threw objects at Brazilian Football Confederation staff during half-time, prompting her to reportedly tell the officers they were “acting like primates”, which is why she said she made the gestures.

The young woman had reportedly been invited to the VIP box to watch the tournament final, which was won by Atletico Mineiro, by its owner.

According to local reports including in the media outlet Metropoles, it was not the only incident of racism from Athletico Paranaense fans during the match, with reported racial abuse towards Atletico Mineiro fans.

Athletico Paranaense is based in Curitiba, which is 79 percent white, 17 percent multiracial and three percent black, whereas Atletico Mineiro is based in the city of Belo Horizonte, which is 47 percent white, 42 percent multiracial and 10 percent black.

At the time of reporting, no other perpetrators of the alleged racial abuse had yet been identified.

Athletico Paranaense has since taken to social media to write: “Racism is unacceptable and, moreover, criminal.”