In Brazil, a crowd of supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro invaded the building housing Congress, the building housing the Supreme Court, and the seat of the government. The Brasília raid was reminiscent of the one that took place on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., two years ago.
Tear gas was used by the police who were stationed to defend the area; however, it was not successful in preventing the mob from getting closer. As a direct result of the actions taken by security agents, 170 people were taken into custody for vandalising public property.
The assault lasted for hours and was finally put down by the intervention of federal forces, which came after an emergency meeting between Lula and the administration and the closure of the central business district of the capital city.
A “vandal and fascist” attack against democratic institutions, said the president of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, visibly upset, assuring that the “terrorists” will be “punished in an exemplary way”.
What happened during the storming of the Congress
Tensions remain sky-high in Brasília, where supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro refuse to acknowledge the win of current president Inacio Lula da Silva.
At the end of a rally in support of the previous president, the police used tear gas throughout the day in an effort to drive back tens of thousands of demonstrators who had broken through security cordons encircling the Brazilian Parliament. According to the first round of estimates, there were at least 15,000 persons flying a green-and-gold flag. The protesters, who were dressed in yellow and green, mounted the building to occupy the roof and then entered the building while committing acts of destruction from that vantage point. Videos showing the trashing of seats at the session have been shared on the internet by people working within the Tribunal. “glass panes were damaged” at Palazzo Planalto, which is located in the plaza that houses the presidential mansion, the Brazilian Parliament, and the Supreme Court.
The current president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was not in the capital city when it was reported, and he did not arrive back until the evening.
Although they were outfitted with riot gear and ready to enter the captured Parliament, the police forces waited to move until the new president signed the proclamation before proceeding. Meanwhile, government officials were airlifted out of the country.
After determining whether or not it would be possible to send in “the army to relieve the siege,” the police were able to retake control of the area surrounding the Planalto, the presidential palace, and Congress, albeit with some difficulty. They did this by firing rubber bullets from helicopters and regaining control of the Supreme Court. After this, they were able to recapture the area. The number of early arrests has reached 150, and the former security secretary of Brazil, Anderson Torres, who was removed from his office in the afternoon following the outbreak of chaos, has also been asked for immediate arrest. Anderson Torres was ejected from his office in the morning following the outbreak of chaos.
