After the Brasilia Invasion: Camp for Bolsonaro Supporters Dismantled, 1.500 People Arrested

President Bolsonaro gave information after meeting with several parties to coordinate. (Source: Twitter/@LulaOficial/@ricardostuckert)

JAKARTA - Around 1,500 people were arrested after the storming of main buildings in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia on Sunday, with officers dismantling a camp for supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

On Sunday, angry mobs rampaged through Congress, the Supreme Court, and the presidential office, smashing windows, furniture, and works of art in the worst attack on state institutions since Brazil's return to democracy in the 1980s.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who took office on January 1 after beating Bolsonaro in October elections, vowed to bring those responsible to justice.

He accused the rioters of trying to overthrow democracy, and questioned why soldiers had not anticipated calls for a military coup outside their barracks.

Lula, back at work at the stormed Planalto Palace, met with his secretary of defense and armed forces commanders to discuss the violence, which is reminiscent of the attack on the United States' Capitol Hill two years ago by supporters of former President Donald Trump.

Addressing the country's governor later, President Lula stepped up his criticism of Brazil's military, for tolerating demonstrations at their gates calling for a coup since Bolsonaro lost the election.

"People are openly calling for a coup outside the barracks, and nothing is being done. Not a single general has lifted a finger to tell them they can't carry out that," the 77-year-old president criticized. He accused several security forces of being involved with the rioters.

🚨 A Jair Bolsonaro supporter screams desperately after a municipal agent disassembles a protest camp in front of an army garrison. Some right-wing radical groups still expect President Lula to be overthrown, regardless of his inauguration.pic.twitter.com/zegmDpQjpx

— The Brazilian Report (@BrazilianReport) January 6, 2023

Restoring order in the Brazilian capital, Brazilian soldiers backed by police on Monday dismantled a two-month-old camp opposite the army headquarters, where Bolsonaro's supporters have been protesting since his election defeat.

About 1,200 people from the camp were detained for questioning on Monday, authorities said, after about 300 people were arrested on Sunday.

Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters departed from the encampment Sunday before storming the presidential palace, Supreme Court and Congress.

Meanwhile, citing the BBC, security forces cleared protest camps outside the army headquarters in Brasília, where some 3.000 Bolsonaro supporters had pitched their tents.

Separately, Minister of Security and Justice Flavio Dino said a team was working to determine the criminal responsibility of the attack on the capital. He said he wanted to know who organized it and said there might have been a pre-emptive arrest.

Dino said several crimes occurred, ranging from "golpe de estado" - coups - to attacks on media personnel.

President Lula has accused his predecessor, Bolsonaro, of inflaming his supporters with a campaign of baseless accusations of election fraud, sparking the raid.

Meanwhile, Bolsonaro, who flew to Florida 48 hours before his term ended, denied the allegations. He said on Twitter the peaceful demonstration was democratic but the invasion of government buildings "crossed the line."