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  • 14/06/2010

Armed riot police in South Africa have charged into hundreds of security stewards at a World Cup stadium to break up a protest about low wages.

Officers appeared to set off two percussive grenades, causing loud bangs, to drive the workers out of a parking lot under the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban hours after Germany beat Australia 4-0 in Group D.

Around 30 riot police charge into the crowd to drive it out of the stadium, some firing tear gas. While calm quickly returned to the stadium, some of the security stewards, wearing orange and green jackets, continued milling around outside.

A nearby street was littered with rubbish where the protesters were forced away. Concrete blocks had been pushed into a street.

About 100 police later surrounded a group of about 300 protesters on a street near the stadium and separated the men and women. They told them they would be arrested for causing a public disturbance.

The protesters later left peacefully after discussions with police. There were no injuries or arrests reported.

The police command set up in Johannesburg for World Cup-related matters was aware of the protest but had not received an official report from Durban.

One protester said he had heard they would be paid 1,500 rand (£133) a day but they were only getting 190 rand (£17).

Others said they had been abandoned at the stadium after the match and would have to walk about four hours to get home, as no transport had been provided for them.

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