Police throw tear gas after violence breaks out at teachers’ march in Rio de Janeiro

At least 10,000 people took to the streets in central Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday night in support of the city’s public school teachers, who have been on strike since August.

But as the march was ending, around 200 hooded-protestors — all dressed in black — began to battle with police officers and destroy property, setting fire to an official vehicle. The authorities fired tear gas to try to control the crowd.

The so-called Black Bloc movement claims they were formed to act as “a shield” against police violence during the waves of protests that have been held in major Brazilian cities since June. But it wasn’t immediately clear who started the trouble on Tuesday night; at least seven people were arrested.

Teachers’ union leaders denounced the violence, and said they were disgusted by the youths — some of whom they described as children — who disrupted the demonstration. Some of the masked youngsters taunted police officers with slogans such as: “Those who don’t study must, because otherwise they will end up being a police officer.”

Other teachers blamed the police for the tension. “This is a public street and we are not going to ask [the Black Bloc] to leave,” said Lidia Coutinho, a 55-year-old teacher. “We have asked them, however, not to destroy property and they have agreed. The problem lies with the police; they react by throwing tear gas.”

This was the third such march in favor of the protesting teachers, who are striking to demand better working conditions, classroom upgrades, and an improved educational system. They claim that most of the money the city allots to education ends up at schools in upper-class neighborhoods.

One Black Bloc member, Adriano, explained that he began showing up at the demonstrations held in June to protest hikes in transportation fares. “I am not an anarchist, but I want a real democracy for my country where there is equality for everyone — not just in education,” said Adriano, who comes from a poor district in Rio’s northside and claims to have seen complicity between the police and mafia groups.

Union organizers and police officials said that between 7,000 and 10,000 people took part in Tuesday’s march. It was the third such demonstration since the teachers’ strike began on August 8.