Brazil: Attack on Democracy – in Yellow Jerseys

Supporters of Brazil’s far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro have attacked the country’s democratic institutions. Many wore the yellow jersey of the national soccer team.

Thousands of people rushed into the capital Brasilia into buildings in the government district. They stormed the Congress building, the Supreme Court and the Presidential Palace. People smashed windows and climbed onto tables and chairs in the plenary hall. It took hours for security forces to get the government building under control.

One thing was omnipresent in the pictures: the jersey of the Brazilian national soccer team, which has become a symbol for the right-wing forces in the country.

Yellow jersey was a symbol of unity – now it is one of division

The yellow jersey was introduced after the 1950 home World Cup. Until then, Brazil wore white jerseys, but after losing the decisive game against Uruguay, the combination of yellow jerseys with green collars, blue shorts and white socks should unite all the colors of the flag and also the people of the multi-ethnic and multi-religious country. It was called “A amarelinha” – the little yellow one. It represented some of the best players and teams to ever play in World Cups.

But with Bolsonaro’s rise to power, the jersey became more and more a symbol of his politics. Many wore the shirt during protests against then-left-leaning President Dilma Rousseff. The jersey that people in the poor north and rich south once wore together has become a symbol of the divisions in Brazilian society.

Brazil’s football association CBF has vehemently condemned the misappropriation of the Selecao jersey. “The association speaks out in the strongest possible terms against our jersey being worn during anti-democratic acts and vandalism.” The Selecao shirt is a symbol of our people’s joy, the statement said. For the CBF as a “non-partisan and democratic organization”, the jersey should be worn “to unite the Brazilians and not to divide them”.

Bolsonaro uses football and has many of the stars on his side

Opponents of Bolsonaro’s policies now often wear the team’s blue away jersey in protest so as not to be associated with the right-wing extremist. The fact that the football shirt became such a political symbol is also due to the fact that Bolsonaro often used football for his approval. Again and again, very prominent personalities of the most popular sport publicly supported Bolsonaro. Neymar, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo are just three of many examples.

Neymar said he’s Bolsonaros “share values”. Bolsonaro repeatedly expressed misogynist, homophobic. He devalued ethnic minorities and glorified the Brazilian military dictatorship between 1964 and 1985. Neymar spoke before the World Cup in Qatar that “everyone would be happy”if Bolsonaro were re-elected and Brazil became world champions – neither of which happened.

Supporters of Bolsnaros do not recognize election results

But while the elimination in the quarter-finals of the World Cup is not being shaken, many of Bolsonaro’s supporters do not recognize the close election result. Ever since incumbent Bolsonaro lost the presidential election against left-wing candidate Lula da Silva, there have been repeated protests that have now culminated in a violent attack on democracy – in yellow jerseys.

Before the World Cup, the newly elected President Lula called on everyone to wear the yellow jersey at the World Cup. He said: “Don’t be ashamed to wear it.”