Clown-Masked Protesters Graffiti U.S. Embassy Wall in Brasília

Overview

• The wall of the U.S. Embassy in Brasília was spray-painted with the phrase “EUA fazem guerra e lucram com a morte” in Portuguese and English, witnesses said.
• The incident, which occurred Thursday, involved people described by witnesses as wearing clown costumes and left posters and other protest materials that forensic teams collected.
• Investigators at the 1ª Delegacia de Polícia in Asa Sul opened a formal probe, noted a small extinguished fire at the scene, and are trying to identify the demonstrators.
• A group identifying itself as part of the MST youth movement claimed responsibility for the action and said it was a collective, peaceful protest against U.S. military and arms policies.
• The embassy had not replied to requests for comment, and coverage places the Brasília protest in the wider context of the seven-month conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has produced global disruptions such as reported blockades in the Strait of Hormuz.