President Lula da Silva was evacuated to a safe place far from the center of Brasilia
In Brazil, radical Bolsonarists have managed to break through the security chains around the National Congress and break into the legislature building.
At the Explanada dos Ministérios in Brasilia, protesters clashed with police, who tried to disperse the crowd with pepper spray.
The first images from the crime scene show broken windows and smoke in some places.
Three buses carrying members of the security forces were in the area this morning, but that wasn’t enough to contain the protesters who were arriving at the National Convention, dressed mainly in green and yellow colors.
Those gathered protested against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who took office on January 1st. Local media reports that Lula da Silva was evacuated to a safe place far from the center of Brasilia. Others claim that it is this weekend in the city of Araraquara in São Paulo.
Brazilian Justice Minister Flávio Dino reiterated this Sunday that “the will of the radical Bolsonarists who have invaded the headquarters of the aforementioned buildings will not prevail”.
Minister Dino authorized the deployment of the National Force to keep the capital safe from threats of violent action.
Hundreds of radical militants loyal to the former head of state have camped outside the army headquarters in Brasilia since the day after the Oct. 30 elections in which Lula da Silva defeated Bolsonaro.
Brazilian police used tear gas to repel the protesters who gathered in front of the building.
The area around Congress was cordoned off by the authorities, but Bolsonaro’s supporters, who refuse to accept Lula da Silva’s election, managed to break through the security chains and several dozen managed to climb the ramp of this building with modern architecture to occupy the ceiling.
Demonstrators appeared on the roof, but also in all the adjacent gardens, including the Planalto Presidential Palace.
The protesters, mostly dressed in yellow and green T-shirts and Brazilian flags, attacked some of the Legislative Police vehicles that oversee the security of Congress.
On their march to Congress, the protesters also smashed the protective barriers and armed with sticks confronted City Council agents who tried unsuccessfully to contain them.
(With information from Prensa Latina and TeleSUR)
