Bolsonaro’s Supporters Try To Invade Brazil Police Headquarters

Army officers stand guard as Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters protest publish elections.

Brasilia:

Supporters of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday tried to invade the federal police headquarters in Brasilia, the capital, protesting the arrest of an indigenous chief within the first main flash of post-election violence.

Tv pictures, in addition to movies shared by federal cops with Reuters, confirmed burned-out automobiles, a bus that had been set on fireplace, and the sound of explosions and what seemed to be rubber bullets being fired.

Bolsonaro supporters, carrying their trademark yellow nationwide soccer jerseys, might be seen speeding from the scene with sticks and throwing rubble. In one other video, they might be seen attempting to push a bus off a bridge in Brasilia.

The tried invasion got here after Supreme Court docket Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has led probes into Bolsonaro and his allies, on Monday ordered the momentary arrest of José Acácio Serere Xavante for allegedly finishing up anti-democratic acts.

It got here on the identical day that the federal electoral courtroom (TSE) licensed the Oct. 30 election victory of Bolsonaro’s leftist rival, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as president. After months of baseless strategies that the digital voting system is liable to fraud, Bolsonaro has but to concede defeat to Lula, however he has not blocked the handover of energy.

The incident rekindles reminiscences of the Jan. 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro’s political idol. It additionally raises safety issues about Jan. 1, when Lula takes workplace in a public ceremony in Brasilia.

Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, a key Lula aide, stated there have been issues concerning the bodily security of Lula and Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin, as protesters had surrounded the lodge the place he’s staying in Brasilia. Nevertheless, Lula’s crew denied experiences that Lula could be faraway from the lodge by chopper.

Brazil’s incoming justice minister, Flavio Dino, tweeted that Lula’s safety was assured.

WEEKS OF PROTESTS

Lots of Bolsonaro’s supporters have refused to simply accept the president’s defeat, tenting exterior navy bases throughout the nation, urging the Armed Forces to overturn the outcome. Xavante, the indigenous chief, is without doubt one of the folks concerned in such protests.

“I can not settle for criminals reigning in Brasil,” Xavante tweeted final month. “Lula can’t be licensed.”

On Monday, Bolsonaro met with a whole bunch of supporters in Brasilia and watched in silence, hugging younger kids, as they prayed for him. Final week, breaking weeks of post-election silence, Bolsonaro stated his state of affairs “hurts my soul.”

“Who decides the place I am going are you. Who decides which manner the armed forces go are you,” Bolsonaro advised his supporters on the gates of the presidential residence on Friday.

In its assertion, the Supreme Court docket stated Moraes “decreed the momentary arrest, for 10 days, of the indigenous José Acácio Serere Xavante, as a consequence of proof of the fee of crimes of risk, persecution and violent abolition of the Democratic State of Legislation.”

It stated Xavante had led protests throughout Brasilia and had used “his place as chief of the Xavante folks to enlist indigenous and non-indigenous folks to commit crimes,” threatening Lula and Supreme Court docket justices.

Xavante had “expressly summoned armed folks to stop the certification of elected” politicians, the assertion added.

Tensions spilled over after the arrest.

Flavio Dino, tweeted earlier on Monday that “the depredation and tried invasion of the Federal Police constructing in Brasilia are unacceptable. Court docket orders should be complied with by the Federal Police. Those that take into account themselves harmed should provide the suitable sources, by no means observe political violence.”

The Federal Police didn’t reply to a request for remark.

Brasilia’s public safety workplace stated it had secured the realm round Lula’s lodge, and urged motorists to keep away from the middle of the town the place many roads had been closed.

(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)