Pro-Bolsonaro crowd riots at Brazilian police HQ

The demonstrators clashed with law enforcement after an activist’s arrest

Radical supporters of outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil tried to break into the HQ of the Federal Police after one of them was arrested on the order of the Supreme Court. Some Bolsonaristas believe his election loss was the result of a rigged vote and called for a military coup.

The incident happened on Monday night in the capital, Brasilia. A crowd of pro-Bolsonaro protesters, who were wearing their signature T-shirts of the national football team, gathered around the administrative building in the apparent belief that the officers who arrested the activist took him there, according to local media.

The law enforcement agency called on fellow officers from the Military Police for help. During the ensuing clash, police deployed tear gas and fired rubber bullets at the crowd of stone-throwing vandals confronting them.

Amid the violence, there was some damage to public and private property. Several cars and at least one bus parked in the area were torched by the protesters. Some reports claimed that the driver was inside when the bus was set on fire, but managed to escape unharmed.