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| Huge crowds flock to Rio carnival | Huge crowds flock to Rio carnival |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Thousands of people have been joining in carnival celebrations in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. | Thousands of people have been joining in carnival celebrations in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. |
| Crowds gathered at the Sambadrome in the centre of the city to watch a parade lasting all night. | Crowds gathered at the Sambadrome in the centre of the city to watch a parade lasting all night. |
| Communities from the poorest parts of Rio de Janeiro have worked for 12 months preparing for the carnival. | Communities from the poorest parts of Rio de Janeiro have worked for 12 months preparing for the carnival. |
| The samba dance schools, which are the focus of the main parade, are almost all based in the city's favelas or shanty towns. | |
| Once again the huge effort put in by those taking part resulted in an explosion of sound and colour, a celebration that brought 700,000 visitors to Rio de Janeiro from around Brazil and from across the world. | Once again the huge effort put in by those taking part resulted in an explosion of sound and colour, a celebration that brought 700,000 visitors to Rio de Janeiro from around Brazil and from across the world. |
| Controversy | Controversy |
| Each samba school picks a social or historical theme which is reflected in their costumes, floats and music. | Each samba school picks a social or historical theme which is reflected in their costumes, floats and music. |
| One float marked 100 years of Japanese immigration to BrazilThis year, topics included everything from the arrival of the Portuguese royal family in Brazil to 100 years of Japanese immigration. | One float marked 100 years of Japanese immigration to BrazilThis year, topics included everything from the arrival of the Portuguese royal family in Brazil to 100 years of Japanese immigration. |
| Controversially, one samba school wanted to use a float to portray the naked bodies of holocaust victims. | Controversially, one samba school wanted to use a float to portray the naked bodies of holocaust victims. |
| The Viradouro school said they intended to send a message to the world that this should never happen again. | The Viradouro school said they intended to send a message to the world that this should never happen again. |
| However, after Jewish leaders took the issue to court and the float was banned. | However, after Jewish leaders took the issue to court and the float was banned. |
| To show their dismay at this decision, Viradouro were using the float to focus on freedom of speech instead. | To show their dismay at this decision, Viradouro were using the float to focus on freedom of speech instead. |
| But controversies aside, the mood in Rio de Janeiro was overwhelmingly one of celebration and, as if to make the point, they intend to repeat the party all over again on Monday night with another six samba schools. | But controversies aside, the mood in Rio de Janeiro was overwhelmingly one of celebration and, as if to make the point, they intend to repeat the party all over again on Monday night with another six samba schools. |