Protesters out Again in Brazilian Cities

  Protesters out Again in Brazilian Cities

Scattered street demonstrations popped up around Brazil Wednesday as protesters continued their collective cry against the low-quality public services they receive in exchange for high taxes and rising prices. In one of several protests, about 200 people blocked the Anchieta Highway that links Sao Paulo and the port city of Santos before heading to the industrial suburb of Sao Bernardo do Campo, an industrial suburb on Sao Paulo's outskirts. Another group of protesters later obstructed the highway again. In the northeastern city of Fortaleza, some 15,000 protesters clashed with police trying to prevent them from reaching the Castelao stadium where Brazil will play Mexico in the Confederations Cup soccer tournament on Wednesday. Riot police used gas bombs and pepper spray to keep protesters from advancing past a barrier some 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) away from venue. A police car was burned by the demonstrators, who also threw rocks and other objects at the officers. The protest disrupted fans' efforts to access the stadium for Brazil's second match at the World Cup warm-up tournament.

Physician Doya Junior said one protester and four policemen were treated for minor injuries after being hit by rocks. He said there could be more people injured who had been being taken to different treatment centers set up near the stadium. Brazil Protests.JPEG Earlier, hundreds of protesters cut off the main access road to the stadium, and police responded by diverting traffic away from the road near the venue. Official vehicles of tournament organizers FIFA were among those struggling to reach the stadium. The actions followed another night of mass marches around Brazil and nearly a week of unrest that has shocked the country's leaders ahead of a papal visit next month and next year's World Cup soccer tournament. Beginning as protests against bus fare hikes, the demonstrations have quickly ballooned to include broad middle-class outrage over the failure of governments to provide basic services and ensure public safety, even as the country's economy modernizes and tax rates remain some of the highest in the world. Protest organizers, who have widely employed social media, said new mass demonstrations will be held in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro on Thursday. The Rio action promises the most volatility, with protesters planning to march to Maracana stadium where Spain and Tahiti will meet in a Confederations Cup match. Police have said they will not allow protesters to interrupt the game. Fortaleza, Rio, Belo Horizonte, Salvador and Brasilia have received soldiers from Brazil's elite National Force to bolster security during tournament games. FIFA President Sepp Blatter urged protesters Wednesday to stop linking their anger against the government to the Confederations Cup. The cost of building stadiums for the FIFA tournaments has been a regular complaint at marches. In an interview with Brazil's Globo TV network broadcast, Blatter said he could "understand that people are not happy, but they should not use football to make their demands heard." Blatter added: "We did not impose the World Cup on Brazil." On Tuesday night, tens of thousands of Brazilians flooded the streets of the country's biggest city, Sao Paulo, following the rhythm of mobilizations that drew some 240,000 people across Brazil the previous night. Though most peaceful, small bands of radicals split off to fight with police.

News Source :  www.abcnews.go.com