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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/07/rio-fare-protesters-seize-main-station-and-let-commuters-travel-free
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| Rio fare protesters seize main station and let commuters travel free | Rio fare protesters seize main station and let commuters travel free |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| After street protests, station invasions and turnstile vandalism, | After street protests, station invasions and turnstile vandalism, |
| Rio de Janeiro’s free public transport movement finally got what it | Rio de Janeiro’s free public transport movement finally got what it |
| wanted for a few hours on Thursday night with a takeover of the city’s | wanted for a few hours on Thursday night with a takeover of the city’s |
| main train and bus hub. | main train and bus hub. |
| Thousands of commuters were shepherded through | Thousands of commuters were shepherded through |
| demolished ticket gates at the Central do Brasil station amid a violent | demolished ticket gates at the Central do Brasil station amid a violent |
| confrontation over proposed fare rises that resulted in fires, arrests | confrontation over proposed fare rises that resulted in fires, arrests |
| and disruption of transport networks. | and disruption of transport networks. |
| The station in downtown Rio echoed with police | The station in downtown Rio echoed with police |
| percussion grenades and the protesters’ celebratory samba drumming as | percussion grenades and the protesters’ celebratory samba drumming as |
| they seized control of the main bank of ticket machines. | they seized control of the main bank of ticket machines. |
| Close to a thousand people joined the passe livre (free pass) march, sparked by the announcement by the city mayor, Eduardo Paes, that | |
| bus fires will rise from 2.75 reais to 3 reais (£0.75/US$1.25) on Saturday. | bus fires will rise from 2.75 reais to 3 reais (£0.75/US$1.25) on Saturday. |
| That may seem cheap compared with London or New | That may seem cheap compared with London or New |
| York. But for a daily commuter on a minimum monthly wages of 724 reais a | York. But for a daily commuter on a minimum monthly wages of 724 reais a |
| month it leaves transport costs at more than a sixth of income. | month it leaves transport costs at more than a sixth of income. |
| Bus price rises were the spark for massive protests that | Bus price rises were the spark for massive protests that |
| expanded to cover dozens of other issues and brought more than a million | expanded to cover dozens of other issues and brought more than a million |
| people on to the streets of 80 cities in Brazil in June 2013. At the time | people on to the streets of 80 cities in Brazil in June 2013. At the time |
| the ticket hikes were postponed but the issue is once again on the | the ticket hikes were postponed but the issue is once again on the |
| agenda. | agenda. |
| Although Thursday’s protest was far smaller than | Although Thursday’s protest was far smaller than |
| last year’s it was more focussed and the organisers’ tactics appeared | last year’s it was more focussed and the organisers’ tactics appeared |
| to take the large ranks of police by surprise. | to take the large ranks of police by surprise. |
| After marching peacefully from the Candelaria area dozens of activists from the Black Block group sprinted off and entered the station before police | After marching peacefully from the Candelaria area dozens of activists from the Black Block group sprinted off and entered the station before police |
| could close the gates. They smashed turnstiles, waved flags and | could close the gates. They smashed turnstiles, waved flags and |
| entreated commuters to enter the train system without paying. | entreated commuters to enter the train system without paying. |
| Riot police and station security temporarily | Riot police and station security temporarily |
| regained territory with pepper spray and percussion grenades, but after a | regained territory with pepper spray and percussion grenades, but after a |
| brief hiatus the demonstrators regained control of the concourse and | brief hiatus the demonstrators regained control of the concourse and |
| started drumming, dancing and singing as passengers – many clutching | started drumming, dancing and singing as passengers – many clutching |
| hankerchiefs to their faces because of the pungent police gas in the | hankerchiefs to their faces because of the pungent police gas in the |
| terminal – passed by without paying. | terminal – passed by without paying. |
| “I totally support this protest,” said Fabiana | “I totally support this protest,” said Fabiana |
| Aragon, a red-faced, teary-eyed health worker who was heading home after | Aragon, a red-faced, teary-eyed health worker who was heading home after |
| work. The 43-year-old said she spent almost a third of her 1,000 reais | work. The 43-year-old said she spent almost a third of her 1,000 reais |
| income on transport fares but still had to endure long delays, dirty | income on transport fares but still had to endure long delays, dirty |
| trains and hot, crowded carriages without air conditioning. “The | trains and hot, crowded carriages without air conditioning. “The |
| situation now is absurd.” | situation now is absurd.” |
| The clashes spread to the streets outside the | The clashes spread to the streets outside the |
| station. Half a dozen fires burned in the streets of the neighbouring | station. Half a dozen fires burned in the streets of the neighbouring |
| red-light district. Firemen were called in to extinguish a blaze that | red-light district. Firemen were called in to extinguish a blaze that |
| reduced a bus ticket booth to embers. Hundreds of panicked commuters | reduced a bus ticket booth to embers. Hundreds of panicked commuters |
| stampeded through the main bus station after police fired percussion | stampeded through the main bus station after police fired percussion |
| grenades despite no visible sign of protesters. Two young black men with | grenades despite no visible sign of protesters. Two young black men with |
| face-masks cried as they were arrested, handcuffed and put inside an | face-masks cried as they were arrested, handcuffed and put inside an |
| armoured police vehicle. | armoured police vehicle. |
| Participants in the demonstration said there would be more protests in the run up to the World Cup, which starts on 12 June. | Participants in the demonstration said there would be more protests in the run up to the World Cup, which starts on 12 June. |
| “Public | “Public |
| transport is slow, dirty, hot and expensive. The government shouldn’t | transport is slow, dirty, hot and expensive. The government shouldn’t |
| be talking about raising fares, it should be working to improve | be talking about raising fares, it should be working to improve |
| services,“ said Yasmin Thayna, a 21-year-old student. “When the World | services,“ said Yasmin Thayna, a 21-year-old student. “When the World |
| Cup comes there will be more demonstrations. The World Cup is worsening | Cup comes there will be more demonstrations. The World Cup is worsening |
| inequality.” | inequality.” |
| It remains to be seen, however, whether the movement can return to the scale of the 2013 protests. | It remains to be seen, however, whether the movement can return to the scale of the 2013 protests. |