Law enforcement agents have detained more than 400 protesters in the capital of Brazil where supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed the Congress, the presidential palace, and the Supreme Court, Brasilia’s governor Ibaneis Rocha tweeted.
“More than 400 people have already been arrested and will pay for the crimes committed. We continue working to identify all the others who participated in these terrorist acts this afternoon in the Federal District. We continue to work to restore order,” he wrote.
Rocha later was suspended from his office for 90 days. The court ruled that the authorities knew that the riots were being plotted, while protesters were driven around in the federal district’s military police vehicles. Meanwhile, the military police themselves “did not put up the necessary defence considering the serious nature of the situation, there were even reports that some police officers had abandoned their posts”.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva declared a state of emergency in the national capital until the end of January due to the riots. “Those who did it will be found and punished. Democracy guarantees the right to express yourself freely but also demands respect for institutions,” he said.
On 8 January, Bolsonaro supporters staged a rally to protest the election of Lula in the capital of Brazil. Lula won the October election with a very slim margin: 50.8% against Bolsonaro’s 49.2%.
The rally turned into a riot and protesters broke into several government buildings, including the national parliament. A military police helicopter was throwing stun and flash grenades as well tear gassing them. Law endorment units managed to push the rioters out of the government institutions only several hours later.
