(11 Feb 2012)
1. Zoom out from crowd to wide of massive carnival parade
2. Mid of band on sound truck
3. Wide of parade
4. Mid of police accompanying parade
5. Mid of people dancing
6. Wide of people gathered around sound truck
7. Wide of police in street
8. Mid of people enjoying carnival party
9. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Elizabeth Cardoso, Rio de Janeiro resident:
"Police officers will be police officers. What we want is to enjoy the carnival, we don't want any trouble. Everyone here is just having fun."
10. Top shot of police in parade
11. Top shot of people dancing in costume
12. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Fatima Rocha, Black Ball parade organiser:
"During the Black Ball parade the people are loyal followers, they are used to coming out and parading with us. So, I think it will be all calm if it is up to the people participating."
13. Pan of people partying
14. Wide of police in parade
STORYLINE:
The massive carnival Black Ball parade took to the streets of Rio's city centre on Friday, drawing hundreds of thousands of people despite security fears after police and firefighters went on strike.
One of the city's most traditional samba troops, the Black Ball attracted nearly two (m) million people during its annual carnival parade in 2011.
Its 2012 pre-carnival outing also drew huge crowds.
According to organisers 300-thousand people were on Rio Branco Avenue to enjoy the party, many dressed in carnival costumes, despite security warnings issued by striking police.
At the heart of the recent action by Brazil's police forces are low salaries.
Rio's security forces staged a walk out on Friday after rejecting a last-minute legislative approval of a 39 percent hike staggered over this year and the next.
Carnival revellers said they would not let fear or politics put a dampener on the party.
"Police officers will be police officers. What we want is to enjoy carnival, we don't want any trouble. Everyone here is just having fun," said Rio resident Elizabeth Cardoso.
Even a heavy downpour didn't deter the crowds from flooding into the streets.
Carnival starts officially next Friday, but massive street parties like the Black Ball parade have already kicked off the celebrations that consume the city every summer.
Rio's Carnival pumps more than 500 (m) million US dollars into the city's economy each year.
The first day of the police strike passed without incident.
Union leaders said 30 percent of units would remain active to take care of emergencies; adherence rates hovered between 50 and 70 percent for the roughly 60,000 police, firefighters and prison guards on strike.
wacky
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