A Brazilian journalist who sustained a head injury in a Rio street protest as the city prepares to host the World Cup has died, his employer said Tuesday.
"Santiago Andrade died yesterday (Monday) morning after he was declared brain dead. His family have already donated some of his organs," a spokesman for TV station Bandeirantes said.
Furious Brazilians have been protesting sporadically since last June over poor public services such as transport, education and health care while the country spends billions to host the World Cup starting in June and the Rio Olympics in 2016.
The unrest in the South American nation has triggered concern over whether the Games will be safe for athletes and visitors.
Television news cameraman Andrade, 49, was left in a coma after being hit in the head with a flare during protests against bus fare increases last Thursday.
Andrade's death drew condemnation from public figures including President Dilma Rousseff and national football coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Andrade's daughter Vanessa, 29, who is also a journalist, wrote a letter which featured on page one of the newspaper O Dia.
She said she was alone with her father when he died.
"I asked forgiveness for all my mistakes and promised to keep my head held high and take care of my mother and my grandparents," the daughter wrote.
Police say they have identified the demonstrator who threw the flare which killed Andrade and issued a warrant for the arrest of the fugitive 23-year-old.
He faces up to 35 years in jail.
Another demonstrator, Fabio Raposo, 22, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter on Sunday after admitting he picked up the flare and handed it to another protester who threw it, hitting Andrade.
Some 30 fellow journalists held a silent vigil Monday after gathering at the spot where Andrade was struck, first placing their cameras on the ground beside them.
The Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism said Monday that 117 journalists had been injured since the outbreak of violent social unrest during last year's Confederations Cup, with more than half blamed on police heavy-handedness.
The protests of the past few days echoed the massive street protests which marred last June's World Cup dress rehearsal and which claimed five lives.
Last year's protests began in Sao Paulo over transport fare hikes and swiftly spread as commuters blasted the cost of hosting the World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympics rather than improving shoddy public services.
Protesters have vowed to target the World Cup but world football body FIFA and Brazilian organizers say they have full confidence in a tightly integrated tournament security plan.
After a brief lull in November, protests have increased in frequency this year, led by a hardcore anarchist grouping known as the Black Bloc.
A Brazilian journalist who sustained a head injury in a Rio street protest as the city prepares to host the World Cup has died, his employer said Tuesday.
“Santiago Andrade died yesterday (Monday) morning after he was declared brain dead. His family have already donated some of his organs,” a spokesman for TV station Bandeirantes said.
Furious Brazilians have been protesting sporadically since last June over poor public services such as transport, education and health care while the country spends billions to host the World Cup starting in June and the Rio Olympics in 2016.
The unrest in the South American nation has triggered concern over whether the Games will be safe for athletes and visitors.
Television news cameraman Andrade, 49, was left in a coma after being hit in the head with a flare during protests against bus fare increases last Thursday.
Andrade’s death drew condemnation from public figures including President Dilma Rousseff and national football coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Andrade’s daughter Vanessa, 29, who is also a journalist, wrote a letter which featured on page one of the newspaper O Dia.
She said she was alone with her father when he died.
“I asked forgiveness for all my mistakes and promised to keep my head held high and take care of my mother and my grandparents,” the daughter wrote.
Police say they have identified the demonstrator who threw the flare which killed Andrade and issued a warrant for the arrest of the fugitive 23-year-old.
He faces up to 35 years in jail.
Another demonstrator, Fabio Raposo, 22, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter on Sunday after admitting he picked up the flare and handed it to another protester who threw it, hitting Andrade.
Some 30 fellow journalists held a silent vigil Monday after gathering at the spot where Andrade was struck, first placing their cameras on the ground beside them.
The Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism said Monday that 117 journalists had been injured since the outbreak of violent social unrest during last year’s Confederations Cup, with more than half blamed on police heavy-handedness.
The protests of the past few days echoed the massive street protests which marred last June’s World Cup dress rehearsal and which claimed five lives.
Last year’s protests began in Sao Paulo over transport fare hikes and swiftly spread as commuters blasted the cost of hosting the World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympics rather than improving shoddy public services.
Protesters have vowed to target the World Cup but world football body FIFA and Brazilian organizers say they have full confidence in a tightly integrated tournament security plan.
After a brief lull in November, protests have increased in frequency this year, led by a hardcore anarchist grouping known as the Black Bloc.
