By the evening (local time), 30 people had been taken into custody, the news portal G1 reported, citing the Supreme Court. Pictures and videos showed police officers leading several men and women out of Congress with their hands tied behind their backs.
“Unprecedented in the history of the country”
“What they did today is unprecedented in the history of the country,” said President Lula, who was not in the capital at the time of the attack. “It was barbaric. Those were fascists. They must be found and punished.” The left-wing politician had already governed Brazil between 2003 and 2010 and just a week ago, as the first democratically elected president of the South American country, began a third term.
Thousands of Bolsonaro fans had previously stormed the government district. The police seemed completely taken by surprise. The demonstrators quickly tore down the roadblocks and pushed the officials back. Soon they were standing on the roof of the congress waving Brazilian national flags. Shortly thereafter, they also invaded the Supreme Court and the seat of government.
Inside the buildings, the rioters gave free rein to their hatred of the new left-wing government. They knocked over chairs and desks, smashed windows, damaged works of art and scrawled slogans on the walls. One attacker even took the office door of federal judge Alexandre de Moraes, who was particularly hated by Bolosonaro supporters, as a trophy.
The situation was only under control again after hours
It took hours for the security forces to bring the situation back under control. The military police advanced with cavalry squadrons and armored vehicles to the Square of the Three State Powers in the center of the capital. Special forces use tear gas, helicopters circled over the government district. Around 230 suspects were arrested, according to Justice Minister Flavio Dino.
Especially at the beginning of the riots, the police did not cut a good figure. Numerous supporters of Bolsonaro have been camping in front of the armed forces’ headquarters for days. When around 4,000 other supporters of the ex-president arrived in buses in the capital on Saturday and Sunday and moved to the government district, they were even escorted by officials. Police officers took selfies with the demonstrators and filmed cellphone videos, as seen on television.
Thousands of supporters of far-right former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have stormed the parliament, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace in Brazil. Special forces of the military police only managed to clear the building after several hours. There were 300 arrests.
Brasilia’s security chief fired
Brasília’s security chief, Anderson Torres, was Minister of Justice under Bolsonaro and is considered a follower of the ex-president. He was released on Sunday. Lula placed public safety in the capital under federal supervision by decree. Former head of state Bolsonaro apparently still has many sympathizers in the police force. In any case, when the mob stormed the government district, only a few officials opposed it.
Bolsonaro denies allegations
In an initial reaction, Bolsonaro distanced himself from the incidents: “Peaceful demonstrations are part of democracy. However, looting and raids on public buildings, as they took place today, are not included,” wrote the right-wing ex-head of state on Twitter. “Throughout my tenure, I have always upheld the Constitution, respected and defended the law, democracy, transparency and our sacred freedom.”
Lula accused Bolsonaro of inciting his supporters. “They used the Sunday silence when we were still forming the government to do what they did. There are several speeches by the former President in which he advocates this. This is also his responsibility and the responsibility of the parties that supported him,” Lula said.
Bolsonaro denied the allegations. “I reject the allegations made by the current head of the Brazilian government without evidence,” he wrote. The ex-military had left Brazil with his family two days before the end of his term in office and had traveled to the USA.
Bolsonaro’s party: “Sad day for nation”
Bolsonaro’s party condemned the attacks. “Today is a sad day for the Brazilian nation. We cannot agree to the storming of the National Congress,” Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party (PL) leader Valdemar Costa Neto said in a video released on Sunday.
“All orderly demonstrations are legitimate. But chaos has never been a principle of our nation. We condemn this behavior in the strongest terms. The law must be enforced to strengthen our democracy,” said Neto.
Harsh criticism from Lula’s Labor Party
The head of the ruling Workers’ Party (PT) raised serious allegations against those responsible in the capital, Brasilia. “The federal district government was irresponsible in the face of the invasion of Brasilia and the National Congress,” Gleisi Hoffmann wrote on Twitter. “It was an announced crime against democracy, against the will of the voters and for other interests. The governor and his security minister, a Bolsonaro supporter, are responsible for everything that happens.”
Memories of Washington
The scenes in Brasilia are reminiscent of the riots at the seat of the US Congress in Washington on January 6, 2021. At that time, supporters of Donald Trump stormed the Capitol, where the Republican’s election defeat against Joe Biden was to be authenticated. The crowd violently entered the building, five people died.
US and EU condemn attacks
The US condemned the attacks. US President Joe Biden called the incidents “outrageous” during a visit to the state of Texas on Sunday, according to his spokeswoman. “Our support for Brazil’s democratic institutions is unwavering,” said its national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
He condemned the attack on “Brazil’s democratic institutions in the strongest possible terms,” tweeted EU Council President Charles Michel. He pledged his “full support” to Lula. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he was “horrified” at the storming of the three buildings in Brasilia by “violent extremists”.
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) condemned the storming in an English tweet “strongly”. Attacks on democratic institutions are “completely unacceptable”. Those responsible should be held accountable.
Lost in runoff
Right-wing President Bolsonaro lost to left-wing politician Lula in the runoff last October and left office at the turn of the year. Even before the election, he had repeatedly cast doubt on the electoral system. However, he never presented any evidence of this. Even after the vote, he never explicitly acknowledged his defeat. His supporters repeatedly blocked country roads, camped out in front of barracks and called for military intervention in favor of the deposed head of state.
