Police in Rio de Janeiro used tear gas to disperse protesters

Police in Rio de Janeiro used tear gas to disperse a small group of protesters who tried to push past a blockade before the World Cup final on Sunday, a spokesperson said.

The confrontation took place in the Seans Peña plaza, near the Maracana stadium about an hour before Argentina played Germany. Fans inside the stadium seemed unaware of the protest.

The military police spokeswoman declined to give further information but local media said about 200 protesters in the area had tried to make their way towards Maracana.

Protests across Brazil have petered out since the month-long football tournament started on June 12, but authorities tried to preempt violence during the final.

Police in Rio on Saturday detained 19 people with a history of committing vandalism during protests, earning sharp condemnation from human rights groups that said the detentions were unwarranted.

About 26,000 security forces were on duty during the final match attended by several presidents, while 1,500 private security guards were inside Maracana.