Thousands of supporters of far-right former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro staged a riot on the 8th (local time) by storming the building of Brazil’s three legislative, judicial and executive branches, disobeying the presidential election results and demanding a military coup.
Bolsonaro supporters jumped over the barricades set up in front of the parliament in Brasilia, the capital, and stormed the building, destroying property and unleashing violence, wreaking havoc inside the building. The protesters then broke into the Supreme Court and the Presidential Palace one after another, smashing windows and taking weapons from the Presidential Palace.
President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, who was away from the presidential palace to visit the areas affected by the floods, has ordered federal intervention to control security in the capital Brasilia and the rest of the federal district until the 31st. He said he aims to “restoring order badly damaged by acts of violence and invasions of public buildings”. The president called the protesters “fascists” and warned they should be identified and punished. He criticized former President Bolsonaro for not giving him the presidential sash, saying he “stirred Samguin’s aggression and fled to the United States.” Previously, Bolsonaro left for the United States without attending President Lula’s inauguration ceremony, ignoring the ritual of passing the shoulder strap to his successor, a symbol of the peaceful transfer of power that continued after the end of the military dictatorship.
Six hours after the unrest broke out, former President Jair Bolsonaro posted a tweet criticizing the unrest. He tweeted that peaceful protests are part of democracy, but “destruction and encroachment on public buildings like today is not democracy.” He also denied Lula’s comments that he blamed former president Bolsonaro for the riots and called there “no evidence” for those allegations.
Message on Twitter from former President Bolsonaro. capture of twitter
Former President Bolsonaro was defeated in the presidential election last October. Former President Bolsonaro has caused controversy with discriminatory remarks against women, sexual minorities and people of color during his tenure, and has even taken a far-right stance, such as opposing democracy. He used violent language against the opposition and expressed nostalgia for the Brazilian military dictatorship. His supporters rave about him as an outspoken leader, strong against corruption and strong on economic growth, and have refused to accept the results even after the presidential defeat.
Police confront supporters of former Brazilian president Bolsonaro who stormed the presidential palace on the 8th (local time). The mob broke through the perimeters of the security forces and forced their way onto the roofs of the House and Senate buildings, and some entered the interior of the legislature. EPA Yonhap News
According to local media, the police have so far arrested more than 200 people over the incident. Brazil’s attorney general Flavio Dino said the rioters had broken through congress, the Supreme Court and the Oval Office. He added that the government had identified about 40 buses carrying the rioters to Brasilia and that their financiers would be traced and held accountable.
Brazilian security forces are moving against supporters of former President Bolsonaro during a demonstration against President Lula at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil on Saturday. Reuters Yonhap News
The riot on this day continued as a copy of the invasion of the US Capitol by supporters of former US President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021.
