Police in Brazil have begun spraying crowds of anti-government demonstrators with rubber bullets.

That's the claim being made by members of Ireland's Brazilian community.

Members of Ireland's Brazilian community will take to the streets of the capital today, calling for an end to a brutal police crackdown on demonstrators in their own country.

2,500 people are expected to turn out for the rally at O'Connell Street's 'Spire', organised by the Facebook group 'Brazilian Awakening', just one of 27 around the world.

Over the past two weeks there have been clashes between law enforcement officers and protesters in many of Brazil's cities including Rio and Sao Paulo.

The unrest was sparked by a 20 Cent rise in public transport costs, in the nation where the average yearly wage is the equivalent of just over 5 thousand Euros.