Brazil deploys 10,000 cops in capital before Bolsonaro rally

Bloomberg

Brazil’s Supreme Court, which has become the main target of President Jair Bolsonaro’s fiery rhetoric, reinforced its security to avoid a potential attack during demonstrations expected in the nation’s capital on Wednesday.
Around 10,000 police officers have been deployed to prevent riots in Brasilia, where Bolsonaro supporters will hold pro-government rallies following an Independence Day military parade. An anti-drone electronic barrier was also installed to protect the court’s headquarters, a building a few blocks down from where demonstrations are expected to take place, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive information.
Bolsonaro, who is running for re-election, has called on his supporters to attend the parade, which will be followed by pro-government demonstrations. Trailing former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in polls less than a month before the vote, the incumbent is betting on a large show of popular support to boost his stagnated campaign.
A poll by Genial Investimentos and Instituto Quaest published on early Wednesday showed Lula maintaining his vote intention at 44% ahead of the Oct. 2 election, with Bolsonaro gaining to 34% from 32% in late August, within the survey’s margin of error.
Though in recent weeks Bolsonaro had toned down his attacks on the court, over the weekend he called Justice Alexandre de Moraes a “bum” during a speech at an electoral rally. Moraes, the head of the country’s electoral court and a judge responsible for several probes involving the president, is a frequent target of Bolsonaro and his supporters, who criticize him for allegedly moving to curtail freedom of speech.