As protestors confronted police for the first time in Quebec today, protestors in Brazil, demonstrating against the FTAA in downtown Sao Paulo, were violently repressed. Over 600 Brazilian students and activists began a march at noon today with singing and street theatre. Less than two hours later, riot police were called in and protestors were submitted to tear gas, beatings and numerous arrests.

At noon today approximately 600 Brazilian anti-capitalist activists converged on the steps of the Gazeta building on Avenida Paulista, the financial centre of São Paulo for a demonstration against the FTAA. Less then two hours later, the group was violently repressed and dispersed by heavily armed military police.

Today is A20 - Day of Global Action Against Capitalism, an international day of solidarity against the Summit of Americas now convening Quebec City, Canada, meeting now to negotiate the FTAA.

The São Paulo demonstration, titled by organizers Carnival Against the FTAA brought together hundreds of protestors (exact numbers unavailable as of still). A percussion band played, while activists danced, juggled, sang, chanted and blew whistles. Banners and waves were flown, while frowning masks representing various Latin American countries were hoisted alonside the grinning face of the United States.

Evidence of the anticipation of violence emerged when some demonstrators arrived bearing colourfully decorated shields constructed out of carboard, masking tape and tires.

Barring the brief appearance of a small CUT (Central Workers’Union) delegation, the demonstration was void of party or union support. Organizers described the event as organized completely horizontally and based on five principles: anti-capitalism, commitment to direct action, organization based on direct democracy, decentralized authority, and creativity.
The majority of those present were young students and activists. Among them were also journalists, a few lawyers and ‘legal observers’, present to ensure that rights of protestors were maintained. Flyers distributed included consice information about the rights of the protestor as guaranteed by Brazil’s federal constitution, and “what to do in case of arrest