Brazilian anti World Cup protests hit Sao Paulo

One protest in Sao Paulo was held near the stadium which will host the tournament's opening match

Riot police in Brazil have fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse thousands of people in the city of Sao Paulo who were protesting against the cost of hosting the football World Cup.

Some demonstrators hurled stones while other burned tyres and blocked roads.

They say they are angry that billions of dollars are being spent on next month's football tournament, rather than social projects and housing.

Protests are taking place in many other cities, including Rio de Janeiro.

Aerial images showed hundreds of people marching in rush-hour traffic on a main thoroughfare in the Brazilian city, which will host the final match of the World Cup on 13 July.

Police, teachers and civil servants, among others, have also been on strike across Brazil.

The BBC's Gary Duffy in Sao Paulo says that the scale of the protests will be watched closely by the government as an indication of the security challenges they may face during the tournament, which kicks off on 12 June.

He adds that, with both the World Cup and a presidential election this year, many groups have spotted an opportunity to exert maximum pressure on the government.

The demonstrations began earlier in the day in Sao Paulo, with one of the biggest protests in the city's Itaquera district near the Arena Corinthians stadium, which will host the tournament's opening match.

Protesters there demanded housing, and not stadiums, be built in accordance with Fifa standards, in reference to world football's governing body.

source : bbc.com