FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke was greeted by about 50 protesters when he arrived on Tuesday at the Arena Pantanal stadium in Cuiaba, Sao Paulo as part of an inspection tour of the World Cup host cities, according to ABC News.
Valcke, along with Brazil's Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo and former national team stars Ronaldo and Bebeto, were received by protesters, many who are local teachers, holding banners against FIFA and chanting anti-FIFA slogans.
The protesters were there to voice their opinions on the cost of the 2014 World Cup and painted messages inside the stadium stating "Less World Cup, more health and education," the Associated Press reported. According to BBC News, Brazilians have voiced extreme concern about the decision to build a stadium with 40,000 seats in the state of Mato Grosso, although they don't have one team in the country's football division.
The Brazilian government continues to insist that the creation of the stadium, and the four matches to be held there, will bring tourism to the areas vast wetlands. As Valcke toured the seat-less Pantanal Stadium loud chants, yells and even drums filled the stadium in an effort to distract Valcke and the others from the inspection.
Valcke asserted the demonstrators have the right to protest, but that they have to look at the long term benefits.
"People have freedom and that is part of democracy. But the workers who are here trying to finish the stadium should not be targeted," Valcke told BBC.
This more peaceful demonstration came after one of the more violent protests to occur on the streets of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro since they began in June.
What began as a peaceful rally by some 20,000 demonstrators in Rio on Sunday grew violent when small groups of masked individuals began hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails at banks, stores and vehicles, ABC reported.
Globo TV, Brazil's largest network, showed protesters in Sao Paulo and Rio turn violent as protesters used hammers and pieces of wood to break store and bank windows, destroying ATM's inside.
