AP PHOTOS: Protesters in Brazil vow further action

City centers around Brazil were still smoldering on Friday after 1 million protesters took to the streets amid growing calls on social media for a general strike next week.

While most protesters were peaceful, some small groups clashed violently with police, who responded in some cases with tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets.

The demonstrations began as an outcry against a 10-cent hike in bus and subway fares in Brazil's largest cities, but have continued even after announcements that the increases would be rescinded. Protesters have expressed frustration with corruption and what they say are high taxes and poor public services. They've demanded everything from education reforms to free bus fares while denouncing the billions of public dollars spent on stadiums before the World Cup and the Olympics.

Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup, but protesters say that the billions now spent on soccer stadiums would be better used for education, health and public safety.

President Dilma Rousseff has faced sharp criticism in Brazil's media for what many have called her lack of leadership, and called a Friday meeting with her Cabinet morning to discuss the matter.

Here's a gallery of images from the past week of protests.

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Follow staff photojournalists Victor R. Caivano (@vcaivano), Fernando Llano (@JFernandoLlano) and Felipe Dana (@felipedana) on Twitter.

Follow AP photographers and photo editors on Twitter: http://apne.ws/15Oo6jo

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-photos-protesters-brazil-vow-further-action-145049164.html

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