Firefighters who were trying to put out the flames in vehicles that burned during a riot in the central area of Brasília, on the night of this Monday (12), were also the target of attacks by the demonstrators. According to the Federal District Fire Department, the group that took to the streets of the city, blocking traffic and setting fire to at least eight vehicles, including buses, threw stones and other objects at at least three vehicles of the corporation at the time that the military their work, interfering with firefighting. “The corporation was very limited in its area of action, because, due to the violence of the demonstration, the danger to the fire crews was real,” the corporation said in a note. The Fire Department alone mobilized 18 vehicles and 63 people to respond to the various occurrences. Still according to the corporation, only one person needed medical attention: a 67-year-old man, whose name was not disclosed, fainted during the confusion. First assisted by firefighters, he was referred to the Emergency Care Unit (UPA 24h) in São Sebastião, administrative region of the Federal District, complaining of having inhaled tear gas and having a headache. According to the Fire Department, four buses and four cars were set on fire within a radius of 1 kilometer, between the beginning of Asa Norte and the beginning of Asa Sul, in the center of the federal capital, just 4 kilometers from Praça dos Três Poderes. The confusion started after some of the demonstrators who have been camped in front of the Army Headquarters for over a month, protesting against the result of the presidential elections, tried to invade the headquarters of the Federal Police, in Asa Norte, early yesterday evening. . The catalyst for the violent acts would have been the arrest of the indigenous José Acácio Serere Xavante, decreed by the minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Alexandre de Moraes. Acácio, one of the demonstrators camped in front of the Army HQ, was arrested yesterday afternoon. A former candidate for mayor of Campinápolis (MT), he presents himself as one of the leaders of the Terra Indígena Parabubure and, in videos shared on social networks, questions the electoral process and the victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the presidential election. At the request of the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), Moraes ordered the arrest of Acácio on suspicion of the crime of threatening, persecuting and attacking the democratic rule of law. Contained by the Military Police, the group asking for Acácio’s release took to the streets of the central area, blocking traffic and setting fire to vehicles, including buses – one of which was parked in front of the PF building, in the North Commercial Sector. To contain the riot, military police used stun bombs and pepper spray, but did not arrest anyone. In a note released today (13), the Secretariat for Public Security of the Federal District reported that no one was detained because the security forces acted to disperse the demonstration, seeking to “reduce damage and avoid an even greater escalation of tempers”. The secretariat assured, however, that the Civil Police is trying to identify those responsible for the riot in order to hold them accountable. Today, the governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha, classified Monday’s events as “regrettable”. On his personal Twitter account, Ibaneis wrote that the police forces (criticized for not having made any arrests in flagrante delicto) acted quickly and in the most adequate way possible. “Together with the Security Secretary of the Federal District, I followed all the actions and advised that everyone, duly identified, who participated in this act of vandalism be punished as provided by law”, added the governor, ensuring that he was in contact with the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and with the transitional government at all times. The acts of vandalism took place 20 days before the inauguration of Lula and the vice-president-elect, Geraldo Alckmin, both graduated yesterday, by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). Even before the public security forces were able to put an end to the turmoil, the future Minister of Justice and Public Security, elected senator Flávio Dino, met with the Public Security Secretary of the Federal District, Júlio Danilo. After the meeting, the two gave statements to journalists. Dino said that some protesters confuse freedom of expression with the right to commit crimes. “Are there people who, unfortunately, want undemocratic and illegal chaos? Yes, there is. But these people didn’t win and won’t win tomorrow. This is the main meaning of our message: tranquility. We have full confidence in the guarantees of the Federal District government,” said Dino. Danilo confirmed that at least part of the people involved in the confusion participate in the camp in front of the Army HQ. “We cannot guarantee that they are all because some may even reside in other places, but part was really there at the HQ, there in the camp, and participated in these acts. Whoever is identified will be held accountable”, assured the district secretary.
Agência Brasil
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