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Over 150 injured in teachers' protest in Brazil

Xinhua, April 30, 2015 Adjust font size:

Over 150 people were injured on Wednesday in a confrontation between protesting teachers and the police in southern Brazil.

The bloodshed in Curitiba, Parana state, marked the second consecutive day of clashes since teachers in the state started camping outside of the State Assembly since Monday.

The protest was against a bill that makes changes in Parana Previdencia, the state civil workers' pension and retirement system.

While the State Assembly voted the bill, police and protesters fought outside. The protesting teachers used sticks and stones to fight the cops, who used stun bombs, rubber bullets, dogs, pepper spray and tear gas against the teachers. In addition, the police threw stun bombs from a helicopter.

Besides the protesters, at least two members of the press were also injured, according to daily O Estado de Sao Paulo. One was reportedly shot with rubber balls and the other was bitten by a police dog.

The protesters claimed that the changes in Parana Previdencia will be damaging to workers and will in time make the system unsustainable.

The state government denied it, saying that the changes will save money for the government and will maintain the balance of the system. Endi