Sao Paulo rally ahead of World Cup broken up

Police in Brazil’s largest city Sao Paulo have fired tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets to break up an anti-World Cup protest hours ahead of the tournament’s opening match.

Dozens of protesters had gathered near a Sao Paulo subway station with a red banner reading “If we have no rights, there won’t be a Cup”, the AFP news agency reported on Thursday.

The protesters were planning to march as close as possible to Corinthians Arena, the city’s World Cup stadium, but police forcefully broke them up before they could start.

The Reuters news agency, quoting a local TV channel Globo News, said at least one demonstrator was arrested about six hours before Brazil plays Croatia in the first match of the month-long soccer tournament.

Meanwhile, ground staff at Rio de Janeiro’s airports plan to stage a 24-hour partial strike on Thursday.

The workers pledged to maintain 80 percent service, but the strike will raise fears of delays as thousands of football fans descend on the city around the opening match in Sao Paulo and the first game in Rio on Sunday.

Sao Paulo, which hosts Thursday’s opening match between Brazil and Croatia, is a 40-minute flight from Rio. The umbrella union that represents the workers is calling for World Cup bonuses, better working conditions and raises of up to 12 percent, but says employers are offering a maximum of eight percent.

More than three million Brazilians and 600,000 foreigners are expected to travel in Brazil during the tournament, which wraps up with the final match in Rio on July 13.

A labour court has issued an injunction ordering the unions to maintain staffing at 80 percent of normal levels or face fines of up to $22,400.