RIO DE JANIERO, Brazil (CelebrityAccess) — A violent clash between police and protestors during the Olympic torch relay have raised fears that the South American state may not be ready to host the games.
The riot occurred on Thursday when an angry crowd of protestors blocked the Olympic torch parade through Angra dos Reis, a coastal resort south of Rio, ABC reported.
The crowds, protesting a lack of public transportation, and the late payment of salaries for government employees in the cash-strapped state of Rio, were driven off by police using tear gas and rubber bullets, ABC said.
A video of the incident shows security hurrying the torch runner to a nearby bus, while someone nearby yelled: "The torch has been put out!"
A subsequent statement by the Rio organizing committee said that the relay had to be "temporarily interrupted." The parade, which is traveling through 300 cities before reaching Rio, was restarted at the next stage after an "evaluation by the security team."
The games are also facing the threat of a possible transit strike in Rio, with Metro employees threatening to walk off of their jobs on August 4th if they don't get a raise of almost 10%, ABC said. The Metro is a vital component of the city's transportation plans during the game. – Staff Writers
