Pages

Monday, 5 September 2016

Brazil: Police use tear gas at pro-Dilma protest

A woman shouts slogans during a protest against President Michel Temer in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016.
This woman has 'Fora Temer' - 'Temer Out' - written on her face in protest against Brazil's new president
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Brazil to demonstrate against the government.

Organisers said 50,000 people - a record number - turned out in Sao Paulo alone for a seventh day of protests against the new President Michel Temer.

Mr Temer took office after Dilma Rousseff was removed from the presidency in an impeachment trial. The rally began peacefully but police used tear gas, stun grenades and water cannon as clashes broke out at the end.


They said they had been forced to take the measures to avoid vandalism. Several people were reportedly injured including a BBC journalist.

Some protesters responded by throwing bottles and stones at riot police, and building and setting fire to barricades. Mr Temer said the protests were "small groups, not popular movements of any size".

While at a G20 summit in China, he told reporters: "in a population of 204 million Brazilians, they are not representative."

Profile: Michel Temer
Brazil impeachment: Key questions
What has gone wrong in Brazil?
Dilma's downfall: Betrayal, but not a coup