By Alfonso Serrano, Matt Meyer, Maureen Chowdhury, Mike Hayes, Heather Chen, Sana Noor Haq and Ed Upright, CNN
From CNN's Marcia Reverdosa and Rodrigo Pedroso
Brazil's Federal District Military Police (PMDF) have begun dispersing pro-Bolsonaro protesters inside Brasília's government buildings, according to a statement from the PMDF.
Those identified as taking part in "acts of vandalism" are being taken to the police station, the PMDF said.
Approximately 30 protesters have been arrested, according to CNN Brasil, which also aired videos showing buses of arrested protesters.
From CNN’s Sam Fossum and Arlette Saenz
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan condemned the violence in Brazil's capital, Brasília, by Bolsonaro supporters after they stormed several federal government buildings.
"The United States condemns any effort to undermine democracy in Brazil. President Biden is following the situation closely and our support for Brazil’s democratic institutions is unwavering. Brazil’s democracy will not be shaken by violence," Sullivan tweeted.
A National Security Council spokesperson said Biden has been briefed on the situation and will continue to receive briefings.
While touring the US-Mexico border, Biden answered some brief questions from the traveling pool and said the situation in Brazil is "outrageous."
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also weighed in, saying that the US urges an immediate end to the violence.
"We condemn the attacks on Brazil's Presidency, Congress, and Supreme Court today. Using violence to attack democratic institutions is always unacceptable. We join @lulaoficial in urging an immediate end to these actions," Blinken tweeted.
From CNN's Rodrigo Pedroso
The sprinkler system was activated after protesters inside of the Brazilian Congress building attempted to set fire to the carpet, according to CNN Brasil.
Video shows the floor of the building being flooded with water from the sprinklers.
Additional video on CNN Brasil shows protesters inside the building taking gifts received from international delegations and destroying artwork.
From CNN's Flora Charner
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva described the events taking place in Brasília as “barbaric” and called the Bolsonaro protesters who breached the government buildings “fascists.”
“These people are everything that is abominable in politics, to invade the government headquarters, the headquarters of Congress and the headquarters of the Supreme Court like true vandals destroying everything in their path,” Lula said.
Lula also said there was a “lack of security” and said “all the people who did this will be found and punished.”
The president held the press conference in Araraquara, Brazil, where he had been surveying areas damaged by heavy floods.
From CNN's Rodrigo Pedroso
Brazil’s Attorney General's office (MPF) says it is investigating all involved in the breaching of the country’s congressional building, the Supreme Court and the Planalto Presidential Palace on Sunday.
The MPF said in a statement:
"The Attorney General of the Republic, Augusto Aras, monitors and follows with concern the acts of vandalism to public buildings that occur in Brasília this Sunday.
Aras maintains permanent contact with the authorities and has adopted initiatives that are incumbent on the institution to prevent the sequence of acts of violence.
Among the measures taken today, the attorney general requested the Attorney General's Office in the Federal District (PRDF) to immediately open a criminal investigation procedure aimed at holding those involved accountable. In addition, Augusto Aras maintained contact with the attorney general of Justice of the Federal District and Territories, Georges Seigneur, so that he could act in the external control of police activity in the DF."
From CNN's Karen Smith
A male protester was seen sitting at the desk of Brazil’s Congress president on Sunday after pro-Bolsonaro supporters broke into the lower house's building.
Video footage from Brazilian media showed pro-Bolsonaro supporters going through the palace and holding up Brazilian flags in a large window to groups of supporters who are on the ground.
CNN Brasil is airing pictures of anti-riot police and Brazilian Armed Forces arriving at the Planalto Presidential Palace.
Scenes showing confrontations with police have been surfacing across Brazilian media after pro-Bolsonaro supporters breached security barriers and broke into Congress Sunday.
While President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is not currently in the building, a team assembled for the newly-elected president was working inside the palace at the time the protesters entered, CNN Brasil reports. Officials at Planalto Palace (the presidential home) are waiting for the Air Force to evacuate them from the building, according to CNN Brasil.
CNN's Maija Ehlinger and Marcia Reverdosa contributed reporting
From CNN's Flora Charner
The US Embassy in Brazil issued a warning to US citizens to avoid the areas surrounding the country’s government buildings in Brasilia.
“Media and police report that an antidemocratic protest has turned violent and is now occupying areas of central Brasilia including the Brazilian National Congress and areas surrounding the Plaza of the Three Powers. Brazilian police forces are responding. U.S. citizens are warned to avoid the area until further notice,” according to the written statement, which was sent to US citizens in Brazil via email.
The embassy issued similar warnings on its official Twitter account in English and Portuguese.
See the tweets:
From CNN's Flora Charner
Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro breached security barriers set up by the Armed Forces on Sunday and gained access to the country’s congressional building, the Supreme Court and the Planalto Presidential Palace, according to images shown in Brazilian media.
Footage showed massive crowds in the capital of Brasília walking up a ramp that leads to the congressional building, where they had reached the Green Room, located outside the lower House of Congress’ chamber, Interim Senate President Veneziano Vital do Rogo told CNN Brasil.
Other outlets showed Bolsonaro supporters entering the Supreme Court and the presidential palace, where CNN Brasil showed the arrival of anti-riot police and the Brazilian Armed Forces
The breaches come about a week after the inauguration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whose return to power after a 12-year hiatus comes after he defeated Bolsonaro in a runoff election on October 30.
Supporters of Bolsonaro – who left Brazil prior to the inauguration and is currently in the United States – have been camped out in the capital since then. Justice Minister Flavio Dino had authorized the Armed Forces to set up the barriers and guard the congressional building Saturday due to the continued presence of Bolsonaro supporters.
Neither house of Congress is currently in session. And while President Lula is not currently in the building, a team assembled for the newly-elected president was working inside the palace at the time the protesters entered, CNN Brasil reported. Officials at Planalto Palace are waiting for the Air Force to evacuate them from the building, per CNN Brasil.
Dino, who said he was at the Ministry of Justice headquarters, condemned the actions of Bolsonaro’s supporters in a statement on Twitter, saying, “This absurd attempt to impose the will by force will not prevail.”
Federal District Security Secretary Anderson Torres – and the former justice minister under Bolsonaro’s government – similarly called the scenes “regrettable,” adding that he had ordered “immediate steps to restore order in the center of Brasília."
Gleisi Hoffman, president of the Worker’s Party, called the breaches “a crime announced against democracy” and “against the will of the polls.”
