Brasilia: Demonstrators calling for a military coup occupied Brazil's lower house of Congress on Wednesday, during a day of protests that saw public servants in Rio de Janeiro clash with police during an anti-austerity protest.

The protesters in Congress busted a glass door to gain access to the lower house and clashed violently with legislative guards. Many of the protesters called for a military coup to overturn Brazil's centre-right government.

Numbering about 60 in total, they were arrested by federal police, roughly three hours after they took over the chamber.

They blasted endemic government corruption and at one point paused to sing the national anthem of the South American nation which was ruled by a brutal military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985. Thousands of people were killed or disappeared in the three decades that saw tyranny and torture rule the country.