Sunday’s violence in Brazil’s capital was preceded by a march in support of the ex-president, Jair Bolsonaro, from the army HQ to the Three Powers Plaza, which houses the supreme court, the presidential palace and congress.
At the Three Powers Plaza, protesters breached police lines and entered the three buildings that face on to it.
Just before 3pm, protesters broke into the congressional building. Windows were smashed and fires lit inside. Scores of protesters gathered on the roof.
Some protesters were seen celebrating inside a chamber in the upper house of congress.
Shortly after the congressional building was breached, protesters could be seen running towards the presidential offices as police seemingly retreated into the building.
Footage a from a different angle shows protesters sprinting up the ramp into the building itself.
Footage from inside showed protesters lounging in chairs and posing for photographs.
Protesters gained entry to the supreme court at about 3.45pm. Security gating was used to smash windows.
Once inside, protesters vandalised rooms seemingly flooded by the building’s sprinkler system.
By 6.30pm security forces had retaken all three building but crowds were still milling around. TV footage showed dozens of people handcuffed and lying on the ground, watched over by law enforcement officers.
