Protesters gather on Sao Paulo's Avenida Paulista. The sign reads 'If we don't have rights, there won't be a Cup.' Nelson Flausino Jr.

SÃO PAULO—Small groups of Brazilians took to the streets around the country Saturday to complain about the high cost of hosting the soccer World Cup, with a march in São Paulo turning violent and reviving memories of protests that swept the country in June.

Rio de Janeiro was the scene of a smaller protest that ended peacefully and several other Brazilian cities also saw small demonstrations, according to news reports.

The protesters are angry that the country is spending so much money to build stadiums for the event, organized by FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, instead of on improving the shabby state of government services.

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Police awaiting the start of Saturday's protest march in Sao Paulo. Nelson Flausino Jr.

"I don't want the World Cup here because we should be prioritizing health care and education," said Anita Henriques, a 48-year-old nurse, at the Rio protest. "The government overspends like crazy on these events and we Brazilians, the taxpayers, are stuck with the bill."

Brazil has said it would spend 25.6 billion reais ($10.7 billion) of mostly public money on projects related to the 2014 World Cup, a figure that some experts believe could double after final accounts are squared well after the tournament.

A group of about 700 protesters marched along São Paulo's central Avenida Paulista on Saturday, according to police estimates, and clashed with law-enforcement officials in several parts of the city. Brazilian news reports showed protesters smashing the windows of bank offices and lighting a car on fire in the center of São Paulo, the country's biggest city.

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Protesters marching on Sao Paulo's Avenida Paulista demonstrate against Brazil spending so much money to build stadiums for the World Cup. Nelson Flausino Jr.

Brazil will host the soccer teams of 31 more countries in June and July for the world's most-watched sporting event, and there are already widespread concerns that protests will erupt during the event.

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