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Brazil police fire tear gas at protesters in Sao Paulo

Saturday, 24 January 2015 6:34 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 24 January 2015 6:45 AM ]

Brazilians stage a protest rally against corruption and price hikes in Sao Paulo on June 20, 2013. ©AFP

Brazilian riot police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse thousands of protesters in the city of Sao Paulo during a massive demonstration against rising public transport fares.

Approximately 15,000 people, many of them students, took part in the protest rally on the streets of downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, on Friday, according to organizers. However, authorities put the number of participants at some 1,200. The protesters gathered for a rally after the authorities increased bus fares from 3 reals ($1.14) to 3.50 reals ($1.34).

Security forces said they used tear gas and rubber bullets after several protesters hurled homemade devices at them.

Four people were arrested and a local reporter was injured after a rubber bullet pegged him in the leg, media reported. At least one bank was also damaged toward the end of the rally.

The Friday demonstration was organized by the Movimento Passe Livre (Free Fare Movement), a group that has been campaigning against Sao Paolo’s high bus fares since 2004.

The group was also responsible for the protests that overshadowed the football Confederations Cup in 2013, sparking a nationwide movement that rattled the government in Brasilia.

In 2013, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announced a USD 2.4-billion plan to improve public transport in Sao Paolo.

However, protesters have since staged anti-government rallies, demanding more public spending on schools, public health and transportation.

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