Brazilian Police Evict Indigenous Squatters from 2014 Stadium Site...

As Brazil prepares to host the 2014 World Cup, massive construction and reconstruction is taking place, and residents living near stadium sites have faced a series of evictions and relocations. In Rio de Janeiro, a group of indigenous people have been squatting in abandoned structure near the famous Maracana Stadium since about 2006. The building, formerly an Indian museum, is now slated for demolition, making way for a planned 10,000-car parking lot, part of the $500 million renovation of Maracana Stadium. The indigenous group and their supporters staged numerous protests over the past year, trying to halt the planned eviction, but lost their battle on March 22, when hundreds of police officers in riot gear surrounded the building. A tense 12-hour standoff took place, as supporters outside the building were tear-gassed and arrested. By the end of the day, police were able to forcibly remove all members of the community from inside the building.

A native man gestures as he protests against eviction from the former Indigenous Museum -- aka Aldea Maracana -- next to the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 22, 2013. Indigenous people have been occupying the place since 2006, which is due to be pulled down to construct a parking lot for the upcoming Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup. (Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty Images) 

2

The old Indian Museum, left, stands near Maracana soccer stadium, right, in Rio de Janeiro, on March 19, 2012. Dozens of indigenous people who have built homes on the site of Rio's old Indian Museum, abandoned since 1977, will have to move as part of the neighborhood's makeover for the 2014 World Cup. Carlos Tukano, the group's leader, says the space provides a place to stay for indigenous people visiting Rio, whether looking for medical care, pursuing their education or hawking crafts to tourists on the beach.(AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) # 

3

Two masked men keep a lookout on the rooftop of the old Indian museum, in Rio de Janeiro, on January 12, 2013.(AP Photo/Felipe Dana) # 

4

A native man blocks a gate as riot police officers stand guard at the entrance of the old indigenous museum in Rio, on January 12, 2013.(Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty Images) # 

5

An indigenous man holds a small pot of fire at the Brazilian Indian Museum in Rio, on March 21, 2013. (Reuters/Pilar Olivares) # 

6

A Brazilian Indian girl from the Guajajaras tribe sits in a hammock at the Brazilian Indian Museum in Rio, on March 18, 2013.(Reuters/Pilar Olivares) # 

7

Inside the former Indigenous Museum next to the Maracana stadium in Rio, on January 28, 2013.(Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) # 

8

An indigenous man lights a fire as others dance after a press conference inside the abandoned Indian Museum, in Rio, on November 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) 

9

A indigenous man films a press conference in the abandoned Indian Museum in Rio, on November 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) # 

10

A Brazilian Native boy balances on a swing at the abandoned Indian Museum in Rio, on January 28, 2013. (Reuters/Sergio Moraes) # 

11

An indigenous man participates in a protest at the old Indian Museum in Rio, during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20, on June 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) 

12

A man wearing a headdress and another wearing a ski mask sit on a windowsill on the site of the old Indian museum, in Rio, on January 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) # 

13

Brazilian native Indian Zahy Guajajara checks her computer in the former Indian Museum where she lives, in Rio, on June 2, 2012.(Reuters/Sergio Moraes) # 

14

A man wearing a headdress and another wearing a ski mask sit on a windowsill on the site of the old Indian museum, with a view of Maracana Stadium, on January 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) # 

15

Natives paint their faces inside the former Indigenous Museum in Rio, on March 21, 2013. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) # 

16

On March 22, 2013, riot police officers stand guard as Indians and their supporters, right, negotiate with authorities in Rio de Janeiro.(AP Photo/Felipe Dana) # 

17

An Indian man wearing a headdress and holding a bow and arrow stands behind two policemen in riot gear on the site of the old Indian museum, on January 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) # 

18

Indigenous people and their supporters hold a baby while shouting at police as they stay inside the old Indian Museum in Rio, on March 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) # 

19

Natives protest during their eviction from the former Indigenous Museum, on March 22, 2013. Indigenous people have been occupying the place since 2006, which is due to be pulled down to construct a parking lot for the upcoming Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup.(Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) # 

20

A police officer uses pepper spray on supporters of a native Indian community living at the old Indian Museum during a protest against the community's eviction, on March 22, 2013. (Reuters/Ricardo Moraes) # 

21

A police officer grabs a supporter of Indians occupying the old Indian Museum during clashes with riot police, on March 22, 2013.(AP Photo/Felipe Dana) # 

22

A police officer grabs a supporter of Indians occupying the old Indian Museum under his jaw as the protesters block the road outside the museum in Rio, on March 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) # 

23

Brazilian natives protest their eviction by the police from the former Indigenous Museum in Rio, on March 22, 2013.(Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty Images) # 

24

An Indian man laying on the ground receives medical attention after being evicted from the old Indian Museum in Rio, on March 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) # 

25

A native Indian and a supporter react as they observe police officers from the roof of the old Indian Museum, on March 22, 2013.(Reuters/Sergio Moraes) # 

26

A Native Indian woman reacts inside a municipal vehicle after leaving the Brazilian Indian Museum, after a deal was made with authorities in Rio, on March 22, 2013. Brazilian military police took position early morning outside the Indian museum. Indians were ordered to leave the museum in 72 hours by court officials last week, local media reported. (Reuters/Ricardo Moraes) # 

27

An indigenous man is arrested during clashes outside the old Indian museum, on March 22, 2013. Police in riot gear invaded an old Indian museum complex Friday and pulled out a few dozen indigenous people who for months resisted eviction from the building, which will be razed as part of World Cup preparations next to the legendary Maracana football stadium. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) # 

28

Natives who were evicted from the former Indian Museum speak with Brazilian prosecutor Marylucy Santiago Barra, at the Federal Court of Justice in Rio de Janeiro, on March 24, 2013. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) # 

29

A native who was evicted from the former Indian Museum plays the flute after testifying at the Federal Court of Justice in Rio de Janeiro, on March 24, 2013. Authorities say they will now go ahead with the demolition of the abandoned colonial-style building at the request of football's world governing body as part of an urban renewal program. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images) # 

30

An aerial view shows the final touches of the roof installation at the Maracana Stadium, which is undergoing renovation for the 2014 World Cup, in Rio de Janeiro April 9, 2013. The abandoned Indian Museum can be seen at lower right. (Reuters/Ricardo Moraes) #