The 2014 World Cup host, Brazil, deals with controversial spotlight
The World Cup is undoubtedly one of the most unifying events in sports. On a world stage, countries get to showcase and show support for their talented soccer teams. However, in this year’s World Cup, Brazilian protestors have taken the opportunity to voice their outrage and take action. In Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, hundreds of protestors took to the streets last week before the first match kicked off on June 12.
In Rio, protestors marched peacefully along the Copacabana where hundreds of fans were watching the opening match on a big screen. Holding up signs and banners bashing the world cup, the protestors are looking to bring worldwide attention to the issues the World Cup causes. Several of the protests have also taken a violent turn.
Meanwhile, in Sao Paulo, within 10 minutes of the demonstration police fired tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets at the protestors to try and diffuse the situation. Many locals are outraged at the amount of funds being spent on the World Cup as opposed to public institutions including hospitals and schools. Approximately £6.7 billion was spent on building facilities for the World Cup, while millions of Brazilians live in poor villages and slums.
Social media outlets have been set ablaze, with multiple pictures of protestors surfacing amidst the beginning of the 2014 World Cup, illustrating the frustrations of many. Banners and signs held by demonstrators and some Brazilian youth, which read “FIFA Go Home,” and “We need money for Hospitals and Education,” tell a tale of an impoverished nation furious with the way their country is prioritizing the World Cup over basic necessities and institutions. While many view the world cup as a stage for glory and competition, there is a much darker story to be told: the effects that hosting the tournament has on the country and its economy.
More recently, a protest has been disrupted by police in Belo Horizonte, where a group of aggressive fans were carrying knives, masks, and petrol bombs on Saturday. Fifteen of the rowdy protestors were arrested following the threat of violence during an Anti-World Cup rally.
While excitement and glory awaits fans and viewers of the World Cup, the conditions in which the tournament has been staged are extremely controversial. The World Cup has been idealized to bring nations together and create a sense of national unity among countries through the love of sport; however, that message becomes diluted when contrasted against the current condition of Brazilian institutions. The Anti-World Cup protests have been going on since it was announced that Brazil would host the tournament. While the number of protestors had decreased during the duration of the World Cup so far, the protests have become more condensed and violent. More protests are expected in the cities where teams will be competing, and police and business owners are poised to attempt to pervade threats of violence and rioting.