LONDON, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- An international group monitoring the security environment for journalists said it was concerned by the level of instability in Brazil.
The International News Safety Institute, which has headquarters in London, said sporadic demonstrations in Brazil have turned violent.
"It has been a turbulent year for Brazil, with unprecedented mass protests over a range of issues, from the costs of hosting the World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games to demands for the government to invest in education and health," it warned Tuesday.
In June, at least 30,000 demonstrators clashed with police in Fortaleza, Brazil's fifth-largest city. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters during the melee.
Protest leaders said they would try to incite more people to the street to rally against political corruption, the cost of living and the mass amount of public funds designated for the 2014 World Cup soccer tournament
A September travel advisory from the British government warned the levels of crime and violence were high in some of Brazil's major cities. More than 155,000 British nationals visited the country last year, however, and most visits were trouble-free, the government said.
