10 Jun 2014

Brazil cracks down on World Cup protest

11:31 am on 10 June 2014

Sao Paulo police fired tear gas to disperse protesters supporting a subway strike that has unleashed chaos three days before the sprawling city of 20,000,000 hosts football's World Cup kick-off.

A group of about 150 strikers and protesters set fire to piles of garbage to block a central avenue in the Brazilian business hub, prompting officers to fire stun grenades and then tear gas.

The demonstrators are backing a five-day-old strike by subway workers, the latest in a wave of protests and strikes that has swept Brazil ahead of the World Cup and elections in October.

A worldwide audience of about a billion are expected to watch the opening game.