Police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators in São Paulo on Sunday as hundreds gathered in simultaneous pro and anti-government demonstrations.
Brazil has become the epicentre of South America’s Covid-19 outbreak with almost 500,000 confirmed cases and nearly 28,000 deaths.
The Supreme Court in Brazil is also currently investigating President Jair Bolsonaro for interference in police affairs and has opened an inquiry into his supporters’ alleged libel and intimidation campaigns on social media.
The demonstration by several hundred black-clad members of different football fan groups in São Paulo appeared to be the largest anti-Bolsonaro street march in months.
Many of the protesters chanted “democracy!” as they marched.
Danilo Passaro, a 27-year-old leader of the movement “We are Democracy” from the Corinthians football club organised fans’ group, said that people want to be at home taking care of their health, but the demonstrations in support of President Bolsonaro and the dictatorship have forced them to go to the streets and show that Brazilians don’t accept that.
“Today we are here to say we are in favour of democracy, and we don’t accept this [pro-Bolsonaro] protest that exalts torture and dictatorship,” he said.
The executive secretary of the military police, Alvaro Batista Camilo, said police fired gas to keep the groups apart after some Bolsonaro backers, carrying what he described as a neo-Nazi flag, approached the protesters.
Supporters of President Bolsonaro have gathered weekly to back him and his calls for easing Covid-19 restrictions on movement, gatherings and work.
“We want dignity. We want to go back to work and support ourselves and what the Supreme Court is doing is simply taking away the president’s authority,” said Lulcivania Pinheiro, a supporter of the president.
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