Tens of thousands protest Confed Cup costs

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of major Brazilian cities Monday protesting the billions of dollars spent on the Confederation Cup and higher public transport costs, police said.

As night fell in Brasilia, more than 200 young demonstrators stormed onto the roof of the National Congress, chanting and waving placards.

Police cars could be seen converging in the area in a bid to protect Congress.

In Sao Paulo, the country's economic capital and most populous city, an estimated 30,000 marched toward the main Paulista Avenue, with no repetition so far of the violence that marred similar protests last week.

"I came because I want Brazil to wake up. It's not just to protest the higher transport fares, but also because of shortcomings in education and health," said 20-year-old Diyo Coelho, who marched with friends carrying flowers.

Police said 6,000 protesters thronged central Rio, while organizers said 5,000 marched toward the National Congress in Brasilia, blocking the main avenue.

There were also protests in Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, Salvador and other cities.

"I am here to show that Brazil is not just about soccer and partying. We have other concerns, like the lack of investments in things that really matter, like health and education," said Daiana Venancio, a 24-year-old lawyer marching in Rio.

Earlier, Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo warned that authorities would not allow the protests to disrupt international soccer tournaments Brazil has pledged to host - the Confederations Cup and next year's World Cup.

"The government assumed the responsibility and the honor to stage these two international events and will do so, ensuring the security and integrity of the fans and tourists," Rebelo said.

"As a Brazilian who travels daily in those packed buses and studies in a precarious university, I feel compelled to be part of this revolution," said Gael Rodrigues Honorio,a 21-year-old engineering student at Brasilia University.

"This is just the beginning. We will get some improvements, at least with respect to transport and health," the student said during the Brasilia protest under the watchful eyes of some 400 police officers.

The protests over a hike in mass transit fares from $1.5 to $1.6 began 10 days ago in Sao Paulo. The unrest rapidly spread to other cities with demonstrators focusing their anger not just on the transport fares but also on $15 billion the government is allocating for the Confederations Cup and the World Cup.

The demonstrators want these resources to be earmarked instead for health care and quality education in a country with vast economic disparity between rich and poor.

Saturday, around 1,000 of them managed to break through a security perimeter and protest outside the gate of Brasilia's national stadium during the Confederations Cup's opening game, in which Brazil trounced Japan 3-0.

Sunday, 3,000 people tried to break into Rio's renovated Maracana Stadium where Italy defeated Mexico 2-1.