The World Cup starts in 10 days and there is a lot of non-futbol talk down in Brazil.
First, we hear that "the anarchists" are coming to town, according to media reports:
"Their faces hide behind scarves, gas masks, and motorcycle helmets. TV images show them smashing cars, hurling bricks at police, and setting tires ablaze on the streets of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian politicians have claimed they are a national security threat.I think that we saw some of these groups in Seattle a few years ago.
But who really are these protesters who plan to run riot at the World Cup as soon as the inaugural game kicks off on June 12?
Brazil's police allege the militants form an extremist group called the Black Bloc, and say they are watching its leaders. The local press has published exposes claiming that the Black Bloc is funded by foreigners intent on spoiling the nation's moment of glory.
However, speaking to GlobalPost, a veteran of Brazil's radical protest movement said the Black Bloc is not an organization at all. Rather, it's a tactic of demonstrators who are leaderless, angry, and determined to raise hell.
"It is the 10 percent of the demonstration that don't run from police, who are not scared. Nobody owns it," said the protester, who identified himself only as AM because of the risks of arrest.
The tactic, AM explained, consists of militant protesters, often masked and wearing dark colors, swelling together in a block during demonstrations. They break into runs, jump and shout, helping to provoke confrontation. And when police inevitably react, they are not scared to hit back."
Second, the problems organizing the Cup are resulting in massive disappointment about the upcoming event, as reported by The Washington Post:
"Like many Brazilians, the beachgoers and vendors on Rio’s famous Copacabana beach have mixed feelings about the international soccer tournament, which begins here in three weeks. Strikes,protests against the Cup and the soaring costs of stadiums have dampened much of the country’s soccer fervor, and instead of the festive anticipation you might expect, the mood in Copacabana is one of doubt and insecurity."It's true that "futbol crazy" Brazilians will put aside some of the anger and disillusionment aside once the games begin. However, the bad planning of this Cup has exposed serious flaws, and specially corruption, in the system.
These protests will get worse once the world's journalists and tourists show up. In other words, not all of the video highlights from Brazil will be about "futbol"!
P. S. You can hear CANTO TALK here & follow me on Twitter @ scantojr
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