Huge crowds unite in Brazilian protests

Thousands of demonstrators have flooded into a square in Brazil’s economic hub, Sao Paulo, for the latest in a historic wave of protests against the state of public transport, schools and other public services.

Sparked earlier this month by a hike in bus and subway fares and organised via social media, the nationwide protests are giving voice to growing discontent over the gap between Brazil’s high tax burden and the low quality of public infrastructure, echoing similar mobilisations in Turkey, Greece and other parts of the globe where weariness with governments has exploded in the streets.