Republished March 14, 2018 - 1:07 PM
Original Publication Date March 14, 2018 - 9:56 AM
SAO PAULO - Police in Brazil's biggest city used tear gas and rubber bullets Wednesday to disperse a crowd of angry striking public school teachers protesting proposed changes to their pension plans.
The teachers had gathered in front of Sao Paulo's City Council when it stared debating increasing civil servants' monthly pension contributions from 11 per cent to at least 14 per cent.
The clash began when only some of the striking teachers were allowed inside. Some of those left outside shattered windows as they tried to force their way inside. They were stopped by police.
Sao Paulo's Education Department said that teachers at 93 per cent of the 1,550 schools administered by the city government are on strike. Another 1,500 privately run public schools haven't been affected by the strike.
The number of teachers on strike and the number of students affected by the stoppage was not immediately available.
News from © The Associated Press, 2018