BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilās federal police on Friday carried out raids against people allegedly involved in the Jan. 8 storming of government buildings by supporters of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, a statement showed.
Police said the operation was aimed at āidentifying people who participated in, funded or fosteredā the riots, and included eight preventive arrest warrants and 16 search and seizure warrants in five states and in Brasilia.
They did not disclose the names those who were targeted by the operation, but said they were being investigated for the crimes of āviolent abolition of the rule of law, coup dāĆ©tat, qualified damage, criminal association, incitement, destruction and deterioration of specially protected property.ā
On Jan. 8, thousands of backers of Bolsonaro invaded and ransacked the Congress building, the presidential palace and the Supreme Court in the worst attack on state institutions since Brazilās return to democracy in the 1980s.
The latest warrants were ordered by the Supreme Court, police said, noting investigations would remain in place and the newly launched operation would become permanent.
Federal police added they would provide regular updates on the number of court warrants issued and people arrested.