Lightning strikes pro-Bolsonaro protest, injures dozens in Brazil
The protest began in Minas Gerais before moving to Brasilia, temporarily disrupting traffic.
Participants called for Bolsonaro’s release from prison, where he faces prosecution over alleged involvement in a failed coup attempt following Brazil’s 2022 presidential election.
Protesters, many wearing raincoats and carrying umbrellas, were singing Christian hymns amid heavy rainfall when a lightning strike hit the crowd shortly before 1 p.m. The strike, captured on video, was followed by a loud explosion, causing panic among attendees.
Federal District Fire Department officials reported that at least 72 people were affected, either by the lightning strike itself or by hypothermia from prolonged exposure to rain and cold temperatures. Thirty were hospitalized, and 42 received treatment on-site. Some victims sustained burns to their hands and chest areas.
The rally was organized by Congressman Nikolas Ferreira, who called for “amnesty” for Bolsonaro and others convicted in connection with the alleged coup attempt. Prosecutors allege the plot began in 2021 to undermine public trust in Brazil’s electoral system. Following Bolsonaro’s defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022, his supporters reportedly mobilized in Brasilia, storming and damaging buildings housing the country’s three branches of government on January 8, 2023.
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