Nationwide protests erupt in Brazil over education budget cuts

Thousands took to the streets across Brazil in ''defense of education'' after President Jair Bolsonaro’s government announced its plans to cut the country’s education budget.

Footage shows dozens of people chanting as they march through the streets on Sao Paulo on May 31.

Demonstrators can be seen holding placards reading ''Fora Bolsonaro'' (Bolsonaro get out) and ''Se matara a educacao, o pais colhera a violencia'' (If you kill education, violence will take over).

''I'm here because of the education cuts and because of the values that I think in our society are increasingly conservative and going in the opposite direction,’’ one demonstrator says in the video.

''We are here today to defend education and to protest against cuts made by the Bolsonaro government and we are here filling the streets to show that there are many people against this,'' another protester explains.

Classes were suspended in numerous schools as demonstrators took to the streets in 17 of Brazil’s 27 states, local media reported.