'There will be no cup!' Police use tear gas and rubber bullets as 1,000 demonstrators riot in Sao Paolo smashing bank windows and attacking police cars
At least 1,000 demonstrators took to the streets of Sao Paulo yesterday in protest over the mounting cost of holding the World Cup in Brazil later this year.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in front of the Sao Paulo art museum for about an hour before heading out to another part of the city chanting slogans against the tournament while waving banners and flags.
But the demonstration descended into violence yesterday as they approached the central area of the city, with rioters attacking an empty police car, while a civilian's car caught alight while driving near a road on fire.
The Anonymous Rio protest group billed 'Operation Stop the World Cup' as this year's first act against the football tournament on its Facebook page.
During the demonstration several protesters chanted: 'If we have no rights, there will be no Cup.'
University student Leonardo Pelegrini dos Santos said: 'By rights we mean the people's right to decent public services.
'We are against the millions and millions of dollars being spent for the Cup. It is money should be invested in better health and education services and better transportation and housing.'
In Rio de Janeiro, about 50 protesters gathered in front of the Copacabana Palace hotel, holding up signs blasting the World Cup and occasionally chanting.
After about an hour, the crowd moved onto a main street that runs along Copacabana beach, halting traffic as police watched from the side.
Small demonstrations were also held in several other cities.
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