Brazil police clash with protesters, arrest 50 near Olympics venue

Riot police in Brazil have arrested 50 people in northern Rio de Janeiro as security forces clashed with a crowd of largely young protesters rallying against the Olympics.

The protesters were taken into custody on Friday in north Rio’s Meier district as scores of left-wing activists tried to march towards the Engenhao Olympic Stadium, RT reported Saturday.

As police officers chased away the protesters while firing tear gas canisters as well as rubber bullets towards them, some of the young demonstrators wearing black masks responded by hurling rocks at the police.

A group of nearly 50 protesters was taken into custody by officers and then forced onto a large police bus for transportation to a local police station. 

Protesters said they wanted to draw the attention of foreign visitors to Rio for the Olympic Games to the poor state of education across Brazil. 

The development comes as the South American nation has been caught up in waves of both anti- and pro-government protest rallies recently.

Last Thursday, students clashed with police in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo over government reforms to the public education system, with police resorting again to the use of tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters.

SS