By Andrew Warshaw
June 19 – Lack of sufficient stewarding and security staff in certain World Cup cities is causing a problem for local organisers and FIFA alike. Brazil’s justice ministry says it added extra personnel at the Castelao stadium in Fortaleza on Tuesday because there were not enough private guards to go round.
Ministry spokeswoman Barbara Lobato says the “government made the decision to guarantee the safety of fans inside and outside the stadium.”
She said she did not know the reasons behind the partial absence of guards under contract to FIFA. The contracted security companies apparently admitted they could not find enough staff.
Approaching game time, police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse a small group of anti-World Cup protesters blocking a road to the stadium.
Meanwhile a number of staff ‘went missing’ in Brasilia, causing long queues at kickoff time for the Switzerland v Ecuador game. A problem also occurred in Salvador earlier this week when some staff left the stadium midway through the second half allowing a number of people into the stadium without being checked.
Masked protesters threw rocks and sticks at buses emblazoned with FIFA logos before riot police moved in.
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