World Cup 2014 News: Brazil Creates Special Riot Force To Ensure Safety During Games

Authorities in Brazil have created a special task force to help police control the large and possibly dangerous demonstrations planned for the World Cup later this year. Beginning on Thursday June 12 and ending Sunday July 13 Brazil will play host to the 2014 World Cup. Teams representing their countries will converge in various cities in Brazil and engage in football matches in order to be named the best of the best and take home the World Cup. Col Alexandre Augusto Aragon of the National Security Force will head the riot troops.

10,000 riot troops will be deployed in the 12 cities hosting World Cup games. Last June violent protests broke out across Brazil. The people were upset with their government over a variety of social issues including government corruption, poor public services, education and the cost of hosting the World Cup. The protests turned violent and resulted in clashes with police and at least one death. The riots also coincided with the Confederations Cup, which is a warm up tournament leading up to the World Cup.

The anarchist movement known as the Black Bloc has already announced plans to protest at the World Cup. They plan on starting during the opening ceremony on June 12. Outrage over the rising cost of the World Cup sparked a movement called “There will be no World Cup.” Col. Alexandre Augusto Aragon spoke with the G1 Internet Portal saying, “We have been concerned with [World Cup Security] before the protests that took place earlier this year, because we don’t wait around for things to happen. The violence of recent protests is what scarred us.”