Mass arrests in Brazil after anti-democracy riots

The Brazilian authorities are investigating one of the worst attacks on the country's democracy in the 38 years since the end of the military dictatorship, after thousands of supporters of Mr Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's far-right former president, stormed government buildings in the capital on Sunday to protest against what they falsely claim was a stolen election.

Brazil was also bracing itself for the possibility of further unrest on Monday as the authorities started to dismantle tent cities outside military headquarters, where Mr Bolsonaro's supporters have been camping out since October's election. The election was won by leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a former president, who took office on Jan 1.

Overnight, the Supreme Court ordered the authorities to break up the camps, which have sprung up in front of army barracks in cities across Brazil, within 24 hours. President Lula also signed an emergency decree late on Sunday putting the federal authorities in charge of security in Brazil's capital.

The Supreme Court also removed the governor of Brasilia from office for 90 days over security failings, and ordered social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and TikTok to block accounts of users spreading anti-democratic propaganda.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of demonstrators invaded the Supreme Court, Congress and presidential palace, breaking windows and furniture, destroying artworks and stealing the original 1988 Constitution. Guns were seized from a presidential security office.

Mr Lula said the local militarised police force that reports to Brasilia Governor Ibaneis Rocha, a former Bolsonaro ally, did nothing to stop the protesters from advancing.