Tag: Sao Paulo

Brazil World Cup 2014: Clashes at Sao Paulo protest

Riot police using tear gas and rubber truncheons to disperse about 50 protesters near a metro station on the route to the Arena Corinthians

Police in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo have used tear gas to break up a protest against the football World Cup, hours before the opening match.

At least one person was arrested and five others were injured, three of them journalists. Protesters had tried to block a road leading to the stadium where the opening ceremony will take place.

Further protests are planned in other Brazilian cities over the expense of hosting the tournament.

In another development, striking airport workers in Rio de Janeiro blocked a road outside the airport, demanding a wage increase and a World Cup bonus.

The strike was to have lasted for 24 hours but union leaders called it off early for legal reasons.

Striking teachers also staged a rally in Rio city centre, further disrupting traffic.

Chanting

BBC correspondents in Sao Paulo said police charged with batons and riot shields, firing rubber bullets over heads of scores of protesters near a metro station on the route to the Arena Corinthians.

CNN journalist injured in clashes. 12 June 2014
A CNN producer was one of three journalists injured in the clashes

Police moved in after the demonstrators refused to clear the road.

The demonstrators had been chanting “there won’t be a Cup”.

A tweet from CNN presenter Alex Thomas said Sao Paulo producer Barbara Arvanitidis was among those injured, suffering a suspected broken arm.

The violence happened about 13km (8 miles) from the stadium where Brazil will play Croatia at 20:00 GMT.

Last year, more than a million people joined protests across the country to demand better public services and highlight corruption and the high cost of staging the World Cup.

Since then, other smaller anti-World Cup protests have been staged in Brazil, with some descending into violence.

Security breach at Team Melli’s camp site in Brazil

Corinthians fans attacked Peruvian striker Paolo Guerrero after invading the team’s training centre in Sao Paulo in protest at the Brazilian team’s recent struggles, club president Mario Gobbi has said.

Gobbi said the protest turned violent and fans grabbed the striker by the neck. He said other club employees were also attacked during Saturday’s confrontation after about 100 fans broke in. Nobody was seriously injured.

The training centre, in Sao Paulo, will be used by the Iran national team during the World Cup in the summer. Corinthians’ stadium, the Itaquerao, will host the tournament’s opener between Brazil and Croatia.

Gobbi told Radio Jovem Pan that Guerrero, who scored the winner against Chelsea in the Club World Cup final in 2012, was attacked.

“They tried to strangle the player who scored the most important goal in team history. We didn’t deserve this,” he said.

He said the club had already contacted police and would help authorities arrest those responsible for the attack, with security camera footage being handed over to investigators.

“This is a case for the police to handle,” he added. “Our employees don’t feel safe any more.”

The fans cut through a wire mesh fence to try to reach Corinthians players. Local media reported that they also targeted striker Emerson Sheik and former AC Milan forward Alexandre Pato, the club’s most expensive signing last year, along with coach Mano Menezes.

As the World Cup kick off is approaching , much concern and alarm has been raised by the various events surrounding the tournaments from strikes, riots against the World Cup and now this security breach in a training camp. The authorities in Brazil has promised tight security for all the visitors and teams.