Shortly after Brazil had lost tragically in its semifinals match against Germany on Tuesday at Belo Horizonte, Twitter users have been sharing photos online of what appeared to be images of fans of the host nation rioting in key cities like Sao Paulo. Another photo also showed a masked individual holding the Brazilian flag while a bonfire is growing bigger behind his back.
However, Buzzfeed said that the photos did happen, about a year ago.
The photos were taken by photographers for the Associated Press, who were covering the riots in key cities across Brazil, including in Belo Horizonte, last year in protest over the national government's handling of public issues like transportation, health services, education and security despite amassing revenues thanks to the heavy tax burden levied. Around a hundred thousand people that day had marched in the streets in what initially was a peaceful protest. It turned ugly when some protesters started clashing with police.
Despite the false story behind the images, there were other images circulating just after the first half of the semifinals match, wherein scores of fans leave the stadium disappointed about Brazil's inability to keep the Germans from scoring. There was also a shared photo of fans burning the Brazilian flag, which was obviously done sometime between the first and the second half of the match as the fans were still wearing their football jerseys and the photo looked like it was taken in the late afternoon.
The Brazilians had appeared to be losing faith in the David Luiz-led team when Semi Khedira made Germany's fifth goal in the 29th minute. Estadio Mineirao was a witness to the obvious sobbing of majority of the Brazilian fans who have watched the team get slaughtered by goals scored by Thomas Muller, Andre Schurrle, Toni Kroos and Miroslav Klose.
However, the purportedly perfectionists Germans conceded in the 90th minute when Oscar landed a consolation goal for his team in the 90th minute, Daily Mail reported.
