With just 26 days to go before the Brazil World Cup kicks off, these dramatic photos reveal the extent of the violent protests that have rocked Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Demonstrators hurled stones at police who fired back tear gas to disperse the activists.
The protesters, angry at the anticipated $13.3 billion cost of the World Cup, built barricades of rubbish across the roads as rush hour traffic built up, blocking the police by setting piles of tyres alight. Several of the protesters were filmed burning the popular Panini "sticker swap" albums.
Teachers and civil servants are on strike across Brazil, and the BBC reported that demonstrators told their reporters that protests would get bigger and more frequent as the World Cup kick off on June 12 gets closer.
Activists want more public money spent on infrastructure and social housing, rather than football.
Anger has been heightened by the death of 14 construction workers building stadiums for the World Cup, and a presidential election later this year.
The government has attempted to downplay the significance of the disturbances, saying they relate to domestic disputes and not to the World Cup.
"There's no reason to panic ahead of receiving three million Brazilian tourists and 600,000 foreign tourists," Brazilian Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo said.
"We don't want to destroy or damage the stadium," Guilherme Boulos, head of the Homeless Workers Movement, whose activists gathered at Itaquerao Stadium on the outskirts of Sao Paulo. "What we want are more rights for workers to have access to housing and to show the effects the Cup has brought to the poor," he told AP.
APPeople carry an man who was injured in unknown circumstances, as chaos erupted in the northeastern state of Pernambuco when the state's Military Police entered the third day of a strike
APA civil police officer detains alleged looters after chaos erupted during a Military Police strike in Recife, Brazil
APCivil police officers takes positions after stores were looted during a Military Police strike in Recife
APA person posing as a protester throws his shoe at police during a drill to prepare security forces for demonstrations during the upcoming World Cup in Rio de Janeiro.
APA member of the Homeless Workers Movement carries a Brazilian flag past burning tires during a protest against the money spent on the World Cup near Itaquerao stadium which will host the international soccer tournament's first match in Sao Paulo
APCivil police officers detain alleged looters after stores were looted during a Military Police strike, Brazil
Getty ImagesDemonstrators burn a FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 leaflet during a protest against the upcoming FIFA tournament in Rio de Janeiro on May 15, 2014. Brazil faced a test of its security preparations for the World Cup on Thursday as demonstrators disgusted at the tournament's price tag called widespread protests. Ongoing strikes by police and teachers and the threat of a nationwide strike by federal police also raised fears of chaos with four weeks to go until football's biggest global spectacle.
Getty ImagesA masked demonstrator burns a Brazilian flag at a protest against the upcoming 2014 World Cup on May 15, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Anti-World Cup demonstrations were held across the country today.
Getty ImagesA masked demonstrator burns World Cup memorabilia at a protest against the upcoming 2014 World Cup on May 15, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Anti-World Cup demonstrations were held across the country today.
Getty ImagesBlack Bloc protesters Group clash with policemen during a protest against the World Cup on the evening of Thursday, May 15, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Protests are taking place in various cities of the country and questioned the high spending on construction of stadiums and fight for better conditions and budget for health and education.
Getty ImagesPolice on patrol looking for members of the Black Bloc group in a subway station during the protest against World Cup on the evening of Thursday, May 15, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Protests are taking place in various cities of the country and questioned the high spending on construction of stadiums and fight for better conditions and budget for health and education.
Getty ImagesBlack Bloc protesters Group clash with policemen during a protest against the World Cup on the evening of Thursday, May 15, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Protests are taking place in various cities of the country and questioned the high spending on construction of stadiums and fight for better conditions and budget for health and education.
Getty ImagesBlack Bloc protesters Group clash with policemen during a protest against the World Cup on the evening of Thursday, May 15, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Protests are taking place in various cities of the country and questioned the high spending on construction of stadiums and fight for better conditions and budget for health and education.
Getty ImagesBlack Bloc protesters Group clash with policemen during a protest against the World Cup on the evening of Thursday, May 15, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Protests are taking place in various cities of the country and questioned the high spending on construction of stadiums and fight for better conditions and budget for health and education.- Getty ImagesA large snowman shaped human skull with the clothes of the Brazilian team symbolizes the death of 14 workers employed in the construction of stadiums for the World Cup on this afternoon of Thursday, May 15, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Protests are taking place in various cities of the country and questioned the high spending on construction of stadiums and fight for better conditions and budget for health and education.
Getty ImagesBlack Bloc protesters Group clash with policemen during a protest against the World Cup on the evening of Thursday, May 15, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Protests are taking place in various cities of the country and questioned the high spending on construction of stadiums and fight for better conditions and budget for health and education.
Getty ImagesDemonstrators carrying crosses with the names of the workers killed during the reworking of the stadiums take part in a protest against the upcoming FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 during the 'International Day of World Cup Resistance' in Sao Paulo, Brazil on May 15, 2014.
Getty ImagesPolicemen search for demonstrators during the 'International Day of World Cup Resistance' against the upcoming FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil on May 15, 2014.
APCivil police officers takes positions after stores were looted during a Military Police strike in Recife
Getty ImagesProtesters light a fire as they take part in the 'International Day of World Cup Resistance' against the upcoming FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil on May 15, 2014.
Getty ImagesProtesters light a fire as they take part in the 'International Day of World Cup Resistance' against the upcoming FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil on May 15, 2014.
Getty ImagesA photojournalist affected by a stun grenade thrown by riot policer is assisted by people taking part in the 'International Day of World Cup Resistance' protesting against the upcoming FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 along the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil on May 15, 2014.
Getty ImagesA demonstrator sets a barricade on fire during a march for the 'International Day of World Cup Resistance' against the upcoming FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 along the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil on May 15, 2014.
Getty ImagesPeople take part in the 'International Day of World Cup Resistance' protest against the upcoming FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 along the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil on May 15, 2014.
Getty ImagesThe Special Riot Police unit (CHOQUE) carries out a drill for controlling civil disorders, at their headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 15, 2014.
APPolice officers stand guard during a protest against the money spent on the World Cup preparations, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilhttp://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/05/16/brazil-kick-off-protest_n_5335785.html?ir=UK&utm_campaign=051614&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Alert-uk&ncid=newsletter-uk&utm_content=Title#slide=3744455
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