Anti-racism protest ends in violence in southern Brazil city

SAO PAULO – An anti-racism protest in the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba ended in violence Monday night with police using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd of hundreds of people.

Footage on local media showed about a dozen demonstrators pelting rocks at a courthouse and police in a different location hitting protesters with batons as they chanted against President Jair Bolsonaro.

About 20% of Curitiba’s 1.7 million residents are black or multiracial, less than many other large Brazilian cities.

The protest was called by anti-fascist groups on social media. It started peacefully in front of the Parana state federal university, but local media said it turned violent as demonstrators got closer to the governors palace. Gov. Ratinho Jr. is a close ally of Bolsonaro.

Police said that no one had been arrested.