São Paulo, Brazil – Protesters showed up by the thousands in Brazil’s largest cities on Monday night in a remarkable display of strength for an agitation that had begun with small protests against bus-fare increases, then evolved into a broader movement by groups and individuals irate over a range of issues including the country’s high cost of living and lavish new stadium project costs.
The growing protests rank among the largest and most resonant since the nation’s military dictatorship ended in 1985, with demonstrators numbering into the tens of thousands gathered here in São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, and other large protests unfolding in cities like Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Curitiba, Belem and Brasília, the capital, where marchers made their way to the roof of Congress.
Sharing a parallel with the antigovernment protests in Turkey, the demonstrations in Brazil intensified after a harsh police crackdown last week stunned many citizens. In images shared widely on social media, the police here were seen beating unarmed protesters with batons and dispersing crowds by firing rubber bullets and tear gas into their midst.
“The largest protests are happening in cities which will host World Cup Games,” said Mr. Malini, a scholar who analyzes data patterns in social media at the Federal University of Espírito Santo. “Brazilians are mixing soccer and politics in a way that is new, and minority voices are making themselves heard.”
(ROMERO, S. Thousands Gather for Protests in Brazil’s Largest Cities. The New York Times. Source:. Accessed on: 9 jul. 2013.)
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