The Guardian Weekly

Politician attacks police with rifle and grenades

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Brazil’s toxic presidenti­al election took a surreal and violent turn after Roberto Jefferson, a former congressma­n and ally of far-right president Jair Bolsonaro used hand grenades and a rifle to attack federal police officers as they attempted to arrest him.

Jefferson launched the attack last Sunday after police arrived at his home in the mountains north of Rio de Janeiro. Two officers sustained shrapnel wounds while photograph­s showed a police vehicle riddled with bullet holes.

Jefferson was jailed in August 2021 as part of an investigat­ion into social media mobs but was granted house arrest in January. Spotlight

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