Hundreds protest in downtown Rio against World Cup

Hundreds of protesters, among whom representatives from social movements, trade unions, political parties and ordinary citizens, took to the streets of downtown Rio de Janeiro Thursday morning (Jun 12) for a demonstration against the World Cup. Police reinforcements were sent to the place, in spite of the peaceful atmosphere during the morning, with people carrying posters that read “FIFA Go Home,” “Who’s This World Cup For?” and “Our Cup’s on the Streets.”

Some demonstrators displayed a cheerful mood and were wearing costumes. Actress and cultural producer Isabel Gomide, for instance, was sporting a T-shirt with “Who’s This World Cup For?” and said she was taking part in the act because “our demands were not heard after last year’s demonstrations. All the governments and politicians have been ignoring the power of the voice of the streets. As for the World Cup, it’s unbelievable that billions and billions were spent, and that FIFA was allowed to forgo taxes.”

Civil servant Mariana Abreu, in turn, said she went to Rio’s downtown area to protest “against the corruption that took place during the preparations for the World Cup. We know we won’t be able to stop the tournament, but at least we can show we’ve got our eyes on them, and that we’re watching everything that’s gone wrong during the preparations,” she said.

Early in the afternoon, protesters and military police officers clashed after the demonstration was ended. The police arrested three people and a soldier was injured. Demonstrators threw bottles and stones on the security agents, who responded by firing tear and pepper gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira