(Note strong language in fourth para)
PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil, June 18 (Reuters) - Police fired stun grenades and tear gas in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre on Wednesday to disperse protesters demonstrating against the World Cup.
The 150 protesters, who marched in the city centre as the World Cup Group B match between Australia and the Netherlands kicked off, were met by a force of several hundred police, Reuters witnesses said.
At least two protesters and three journalists were hurt after police fired tear gas and stun grenades at them. After the initial confrontation, the protesters changed course and marched through nearby streets until they finally dispersed.
One woman carried a banner saying "Fuck FIFA". Protesters also chanted at the police: "You are working for FIFA, you are not Brazilian, you are shit."
Protests by Brazilians angry about alleged wasteful spending for the World Cup have broken out in several cities and some have turned violent, but most have attracted only a few hundred people and they appear to be shrinking by the day. (Reporting by Omar Younis, Writing by Angus MacSwan, Editing by Ken Ferris)
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