Protests After Brazilian Presidential Election: Court Announces Lula's Victory, Bolsonaro Supporters Try to Attack Police Headquarters

JAKARTA - Supporters of right-wing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday attempted to storm the federal police headquarters in the capital Brasilia, in post-election violence on the day the defeat of the Presidential Election (Pilpres) was passed.

Reuters witnesses saw Bolsonaro supporters, many in their signature yellow national football jerseys or draped in Brazilian flags, confront security forces at police headquarters.

Security forces fired stun grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowds. Meanwhile, nearby buses and cars were set on fire.

Federal police said "nuisance" near the base was being dealt with with the support of the capital's security forces.

The violence occurred after a Bolsonaro supporter was detained for allegedly organizing violent "anti-democratic acts", according to the judge who ordered his arrest.

On the same day, the federal election court (TSE) upheld the October 30 election victory for Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as president.

After months of unfounded suggestions that Brazil's voting system was vulnerable to fraud, Bolsonaro did not admit defeat to Lula or formally block the handover of power.

But some of the president's most staunch supporters have blocked highways in protest and are camping out in front of army barracks, calling for a military coup to prevent Lula from office.

Hundreds of Bolsonaro supporters gathered outside the presidential residence on Monday afternoon with banners calling for "military intervention". The president joined them for public prayer, but did not address the crowds.

"There will be no inauguration," said Jose Trindade, 58, one of Bolsonaro's supporters in the crowd.

"Bolsonaro was re-elected, but they stole it. So only the army can sort things out," he said.

Conspiracy theories and ensuing violence have revived memories of the January 2021 invasion of the US Capitol by supporters of former US President Donald Trump.

That raised security concerns about January 1, when Lula took office in a public ceremony in Brasilia.

Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, Lula's top aide, said there was concern about the physical safety of Lula and Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin, because protesters surrounded the hotel where she was staying in Brasilia.

However, Lula's team denied reports that Lula would be transferred from the hotel by helicopter.

Meanwhile, Brasilia public safety officials said they had secured the area around the Lula hotel, and urged motorists to avoid the city center where many roads have been closed.

Last week, Bolsonaro broke his weeks-long post-election silence to say the situation "hurts my soul".

"Who decides where I go is you. Who decides where the armed forces go is you," Bolsonaro told supporters at the gates of the presidential residence on Friday.