Protesters attack Brazil's Congress

Thousands of protesters marched through Brasilia

A group of demonstrators taking part in a march against pension reform in Brazil has attacked the National Congress building.

Protesters, who had been on a march of about 40,000 civil servants, smashed windows with stones and were forced back by police.

Brazilian media reported that at least four protesters and two policemen were injured.

Earlier on Wednesday, the lower house of the Brazilian Congress gave its initial approval to the reform bill.

If it passes the entire parliamentary procedure, the bill will raise the age of retirement, place ceilings on civil servants' pensions and allow the pensions to be taxed - changes the government says are vital to prevent the whole pension system collapsing.

But the protesters called President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva a traitor to his working class background.

Debt burden

The president, or Lula as he is known, came to power in January promising jobs and change for Brazil's millions of poor and the reform law is expected to put his on collision course with strong traditional allies of his Workers' Party.

This is the biggest treachery I have had in my life Fatima Mesquita, protester

The protest was the largest gathering in the Brazilian capital since Lula's 1 January inauguration.

Fatima Mesquita, a retired 50-year-old civil servant who travelled 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) from Ceara for the protest said: "This is the biggest treachery I have had in my life.

"I could never have imagined this, Lula came to my city and said he would recover the dignity of public workers."

Government secretary Alejandra Maria Rossi said she voted for Lula "with the illusion that the country would change and workers would be respected. But I was deceived."

The vote in the lower house, after the ruling Workers' Party watered down some of its proposals for the debt-ridden system, is only the first step in at least another week of votes on individual amendments.

The measure then needs to go to the upper house or Senate for approval before it can start to help with Brazil's $250bn debt burden.