Rio police shoot tear gas at anti-austerity protesters
RIO DE JANEIRO – Police in Rio de Janeiro are shooting tear gas and arresting protesters who turned violent during a rally against privatizing a public utility.
The clashes come as legislators in the state of Rio try to confront a deep fiscal crisis that has delayed payments to thousands of public workers.
On Monday, state legislators voted 41-28 to privatize the state company that provides water and sewage treatment.
It’s among the austerity measures that have drawn the ire of many Rio residents.
In recent months, several meetings of state legislators have drawn rowdy protests that often turned violent.
On Monday, protesters gathered around the public utility. They threw rocks and other projectiles at police. At least a dozen people were arrested.
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