MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Round of protest against corruption on Brazil’s Independence Day celebrations

President Rousseff headed the main celebrations in Brasilia

Police in Brazil used tear gas, dogs and rubber bullets to scatter protesters against corruption who tried to interrupt Saturday’s Independence Day celebrations including military parades in Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and in dozens of other cities which led to scuffles between marchers and police.

Police said they arrested at least 10 people in Rio, and at least six marchers were injured.

It was one of more than 100 planned demonstrations across Brazil, with unions, student groups, anarchists and other groups calling for an end to political corruption and drastically improved public services in health, transportation, education and security.

In downtown Rio de Janeiro, some 500 protesters invaded stands in the parade area, sending frightened families with children rushing for safety. Police used teargas and stun guns to disperse the demonstrators, who did not interrupt the parade. There were acts of vandalism against banks.

In Brasilia, police used pepper spray to hold back a peaceful crowd of more than 1,000 demonstrators who marched to Brazil's Congress to demand the ouster of corrupt politicians.

Protesters were only allowed to march along the wide esplanade of Brazil's capital after the annual Independence Day military parade led by President Dilma Rousseff had ended.

Organizers said many people who had intended to join the demonstrations did not come due to the heavy police presence and the prospect of violence seen in recent clashes in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, where hooded youths have become the main protagonists of recent protests.

Police arrested groups of youths found with hoods, stones and slingshots in their backpacks in the cities of Curitiba and Fortaleza, where parades went ahead without incidents.

Demonstrators later moved toward Brasilia's brand-new 600 million dollars soccer stadium where the Brazilian national team was to play against Australia later on Saturday in a practice game for next year's World Cup, which Brazil will host.

Riot police used police dogs and fired barrages of teargas to stop the demonstrators from reaching the stadium.