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Hundreds of Brazilians Protest Against World Cup Opening In Brazil, Jeers and Cheers for Government and FIFA
(about 7 hours later)
SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Protests erupted on the streets of Brazil’s largest city on Thursday just hours before the opening of the World Cup soccer tournament, with the police dispersing demonstrators with tear gas and rubber bullets near the stadium where Brazil will play against Croatia. SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Brazil reaffirmed its reputation as a powerhouse of global soccer in the opening match here of the World Cup on Thursday, setting off street parties around the country, but its widening political fissures were also on display for an international audience.
While a festive mood began emerging in other parts of São Paulo and elsewhere in Brazil, the intensity of the crackdown on the relatively small protests by the police seemed to stun the protesters, who numbered into the hundreds and were voicing opposition to Brazil’s spending on the monthlong mega-event. Several protesters and journalists were injured in the tumult, including a producer for CNN. Thousands of fans inside the new stadium made obscene jeers against both President Dilma Rousseff and FIFA, the organization that oversees international soccer and the World Cup, reflecting anxieties and discontents of an economic slowdown, spending on lavish stadiums and reports of corruption involving FIFA itself.
“The police response was absurd,” said Paula Machado, 24, an English teacher who was among the protesters. “This is a violation of our rights.” Ms. Rousseff and Sepp Blatter, FIFA’s longtime president, sat together during the match, in which Brazil defeated Croatia, 3-1, and did not make any public remarks.
Tension persists around the country over the tournament, with simmering resentment among many people over spending on the World Cup, estimated at $11 billion. Huge protests last June against government corruption and lamentable public services also focused anger on the construction of lavish stadiums for the tournament, which involves teams from 32 countries. Small protests also erupted on the streets of several major Brazilian cities hours before the opening of the tournament, with the police repulsing demonstrators in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre. At one point in Rio, protesters marched alongside soccer fans on Copacabana beach who were singing the national anthem.
In São Paulo, the protesters were largely peaceful, carrying banners criticizing FIFA, the organization overseeing international soccer and the World Cup. But at certain points some masked demonstrators also threw rocks and bottles in the direction of police, while lighting piles of garbage on fire in the street. “People are disgusted,” remarked Soraya Lunardi, 42, a teacher who said she skipped the game over spending on the tournament and the evictions of slum residents for World Cup construction projects. “The country remains poor, and the image of Brazil that’s being portrayed isn’t right,” she added, referring to the celebratory promotions and advertisements that can be seen everywhere.
A small protest against the World Cup also unfolded in downtown Rio de Janeiro, with the police dispersing hundreds of protesters by firing rubber bullets in their midst. A strike by airport workers in Rio was suspended according to Brazilian news reports, but only after causing missed flights for some World Cup visitors at the city’s largest airport. While a festive mood certainly did emerge on Thursday in many parts of the country, the intensity of the crackdown by the police seemed to stun protesters in São Paulo, who numbered into the hundreds and were largely voicing opposition to the cost of the monthlong World Cup. Several protesters and journalists were injured in the tumult, including a producer for CNN.
Elsewhere, a strike by bus drivers began in Natal, a host city in northeast Brazil where the United States will play against Ghana on June 16. Hundreds of doctors in the city’s public health system also went on strike. Brazil’s government said it was sending 4,700 federal troops to help maintain order in the city, where an estimated 530,000 commuters were affected by the transit strike. “The police response was absurd,” said Paula Machado, 24, an English teacher who was among the demonstrators. “This is a violation of our rights.”
Revealing rifts in Brazilian society over the World Cup, the protests unfolded near scenes of revelry and excitement. On Avenida Paulista, one of São Paulo’s main thoroughfares, hundreds of Croatian fans drank beer, sipped whiskey, chanted and blew into plastic horns, creating a cacophony of sounds before boarding buses in the direction of the stadium. Resentment has persisted around the country over the tournament since huge protests last June revealed fury among many people over spending on the World Cup — estimated at $11 billion — as well as the 2016 Olympic Games.
In São Paulo, the protesters were largely peaceful, carrying banners criticizing FIFA. Yet at certain points some masked demonstrators also threw rocks and bottles in the direction of the police, while lighting piles of street garbage on fire.
In Rio, the police used rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of protesters, and a strike by airport workers was suspended, according to Brazilian news reports, but only after causing missed flights for some World Cup visitors at the city’s largest airport.
Elsewhere, a strike by bus drivers began in Natal, a host city in northeast Brazil where the United States will play Ghana on Monday. Hundreds of doctors in that city’s public health system also walked. Brazil’s government said it was sending 4,700 federal troops to help maintain order in Natal, where an estimated 530,000 commuters were affected by the transit strike.
Amid such tension, many disagreed with the politicized atmosphere around the opening game. “It’s incredibly disrespectful,” said Ederson da Silva, 30, a waiter, about the jeers directed at Ms. Rousseff. “I understand the anger that some people have, but that doesn’t mean they should do this at the inauguration.”
The protests unfolded near scenes of revelry and excitement. On Avenida Paulista, one of São Paulo’s main thoroughfares, hundreds of Croatian fans drank beer, sipped whiskey, chanted and blew into plastic horns, creating a cacophony of sounds.
“Brazilians should protest at the ballot box, not at this time,” said Ulisses Augusto, 60, a retired salesman. “I just want Brazil to win the Cup in order to silence these clowns who are protesting.”“Brazilians should protest at the ballot box, not at this time,” said Ulisses Augusto, 60, a retired salesman. “I just want Brazil to win the Cup in order to silence these clowns who are protesting.”
In the immediate vicinity of the stadium, the police presence was strong, with police officers or mobile units present at almost every turn. Brazilian fans, the majority wearing yellow jerseys or bandannas, posed with Croatian fans wearing their red-and-white checkered jerseys underneath a wall display that was a tribute to the history of the Corinthians, one of São Paulo’s largest soccer teams. In the immediate vicinity of the stadium, the police presence was strong, with officers or mobile units at almost every turn. Brazilian fans, the majority wearing yellow jerseys or bandannas, posed with Croatian fans wearing their red-and-white checkered jerseys underneath a wall display that was a tribute to the history of the Corinthians, one of São Paulo’s largest soccer teams.
The elaborate pregame show, involving dancers dressed as ferns, bromeliads and even gourds drew mockery for what some Brazilians described as stereotypical depictions of their culture.
“The prevailing sensation was of an unfinished project,” said Silas Martí, who covers the arts for the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, taking a dig at FIFA’s idea of entertainment and the widespread criticism in Brazil in connection to infrastructure projects for the World Cup that remain uncompleted.
Then there was the mash-up of musical styles rolled into a song, “We Are One,” performed largely in English by two Americans, Jennifer Lopez and the Miami rapper Pitbull, with the assistance of a popular Brazilian singer, Claudia Leitte.
“Lots of luxury and little heart,” sniffed Juca Kfouri, one of Brazil’s leading soccer journalists, in his description of the entertainment spectacle, calling it “pasteurized and boring.”