Explosion outside Brazil's Supreme Court leads to evacuation, one dead: officials – National
At least one explosion outside Brazil's Supreme Court killed one person and forced judges and staff to evacuate the building in Brasilia's capital, police and firefighters said.
A police statement said the artifact exploded outside the courthouse without giving further details. Local firefighters confirmed that one person died at the scene, but did not identify the deceased.
Judges and court staff were safely evacuated from the building after the incident, which occurred at around 7:30pm local time, shortly after the end of Wednesday's session. Jorge Macedo, an employee of Brazil's supreme court, confirmed their release to the Associated Press.
Local media showed footage showing two explosions outside the court, with 20 seconds between the first and second explosions.
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The Supreme Court in recent years has become a target of threats due to its crackdown on disinformation amid Brazil's deep divide.
José Chrispiniano, spokesman for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said the 79-year-old leader was not in the neighboring presidential palace at the time of the explosion.
Police blocked all access to the area where Brazil's Supreme Court, Congress and the presidential palace are located.
The presidential security office was sweeping the grounds around the presidential palace, local media reported.
Earlier, another explosion was heard outside the Congress of Brazil, but it apparently did not cause any damage.
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