Brazil Congress: Big pro-democracy rallies held to condemn rioters - BBC

Tens of thousands of radical successful Brazil person held pro-democracy rallies, successful an aggravated effect to the storming of Congress by ex-President Jair Bolsonaro's supporters.

In the country's largest metropolis of São Paulo, crowds chanted that Mr Bolsonaro indispensable spell to prison.

About 1,500 radical person been held implicit Sunday's riots successful the superior Brasília.

They came a week aft President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was sworn successful aft October's predetermination that divided Brazil.

On Monday evening, the 77-year-old caller person - wide known arsenic Lula - visited the damaged buildings of Congress, the statesmanlike palace and Supreme Court unneurotic with the country's governors, condemning the "terrorist acts" and vowing to punish the perpetrators.

Mr Bolsonaro, 67, has not admitted decision successful the tightly-fought election, and flew to the US earlier the handover connected 1 January. On Monday, helium was admitted to infirmary successful Florida with abdominal pain.

On Monday, thoroughfare rallies were held successful a fig of cities and towns.

The turnout astatine São Paulo's objection was impressive, the BBC's Katy Watson reports from the city. A portion of Paulista Avenue, Brazil's astir celebrated street, was blocked disconnected arsenic crowds filled the area, singing, dancing and chanting for justice.

Many came dressed successful red, the colours of Lula's Workers' Party; others waved placards saying "No amnesty for the coup mongers" and called for those liable to beryllium punished. There were besides chants of "Prison for Bolsonaro".

"I don't hold with what happened successful Brasília - it was a nightmare. I don't hold with those who judge that with ideology you tin usage your powerfulness to destruct democracy," Gabriel, who lone gave his archetypal name, told the BBC.

"I privation to amusement to the satellite and our state that adjacent though determination are thousands of radical who judge the elections weren't valid, present successful Brazil, we person a gigantic fig of radical who judge we tin spot our government, we tin spot successful our democracy," helium said.

Marina Rodrigues Carmona, different demonstrator, told the BBC: "Polarisation is simply a large occupation - everyone has their ain ideas, and I don't deliberation there's overmuch dialog betwixt the 2 sides."

There was, however, a immense constabulary presence. At times, the ambiance has felt tense. People are inactive processing what happened successful Brasilia and nerves haven't yet calmed for many, our analogous says.

Sunday's melodramatic scenes successful Brasília saw thousands of protesters clad successful yellowish Brazil shot shirts and flags overrun constabulary and ransack the bosom of the Brazilian state.

Lula was forced to state exigency powers.

On Monday morning, heavy equipped officers started dismantling a campy of Mr Bolsonaro's supporters successful Brasília - 1 of a fig that person been acceptable up extracurricular service barracks astir the state since the tightly-fought statesmanlike election.

Authorities arrested 1,200 radical connected Monday - successful summation to 300 detained a time earlier.

Mr Bolsonaro condemned the onslaught and denied work for encouraging the rioters successful a station connected Twitter immoderate six hours aft unit broke out.

Meanwhile, Brasília Governor Ibaneis Rocha has been removed from his station for 90 days by the Supreme Court.

Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes accused him of failing to forestall the riot and of being "painfully silent" successful the look of the attack.

Video shared by the Brazilian outlet O Globo showed immoderate officers laughing and taking photos unneurotic arsenic demonstrators occupied the legislature field successful the background.

Bolsonaro supporters created camps successful cities crossed Brazil, immoderate of them extracurricular the subject barracks. That is due to the fact that his astir ardent supporters privation the subject to intervene and marque bully elections that they accidental were stolen.

Some protesters are not conscionable aggravated that Mr Bolsonaro mislaid the predetermination - they privation President Lula to instrumentality to prison.

Lula spent 18 months successful jailhouse aft being recovered blameworthy of corruption successful 2017. His convictions were aboriginal annulled, aft initially being sentenced to much than 9 years.

Heads of authorities astir the satellite person besides denounced the violence.

Late connected Monday, President Joe Biden "conveyed the unwavering enactment of the United States for Brazil's democracy" during a telephone telephone with Lula, the White House said successful a statement.

Comparisons person been drawn with the storming of the US Capitol connected 6 January 2021 by supporters of Donald Trump, an state of Mr Bolsonaro. Mr Biden was sworn successful that time aft defeating Mr Trump successful statesmanlike elections the erstwhile November.