Many Brazilians are torn between supporting their team and their issues with the millions of dollars spent on the construction of stadiums.
The soccer World Cup in Brazil has come up against mass protests and riots by several Brazilians carrying signs reading “Fifa Go Home”. The protesters are opposed to the tournament being hosted in their country while its people suffer from poverty and a lack of access to education, hospitals, and transportation.
Many Brazilians are torn between supporting their team and their issues with the millions of dollars spent on the construction of stadiums – money they feel could have been spent elsewhere.
Since before the beginning of the World Cup, protesters in opposition to the tournament clashed with police. These clashes continued in cities like São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and other host cities, where police fire rubber bullets, use tear gas on demonstrators, or arrest people.
Fifa Go Home is definitely not as trendy as the glow of supporters on match day, but it is getting some well deserved traction as citizens continue to document demonstrations around the country.
We take a look at seven pictures from the Fifa Go Home protests:
1. A protester holds a sign highlighting some social issues in Brazil
2. Graffiti in support of the protests and the plight of Brazil’s people can be found lining the streets.
3. Demonstrators throughout the country can be seen holding the Fifa Go Home sign, the official tag in opposition to the World Cup.
4. Police officers spray tear gas into an anti-World Cup protester’s eyes
5. Making his feelings about Fifa very clear
6. A boy carries a flower amid the protest, surrounded by a wall of military police
7. A photograph from Brazil declaring that the “cup is for the rich and problems are for the poor”.