New clash in World Cup labor dispute

Police fired rubber bullets and a stun grenade on Thursday to disperse protesting workers in the latest episode of a dispute that has forced police to take over World Cup stadium security and has embarrassed organizers. A police spokesman said seven guards were arrested in the illegal protest outside their employer's offices in Cape Town. The dispute with local security firm Stallion comes after similar problems during last year's Confederations Cup, a dress rehearsal for this tournament. Police said they had permanently taken over security at four venues; the showpiece Soccer City stadium and Ellis Park in Johannesburg, and the newly-built arenas in Cape Town and Durban. They were already guarding the coastal stadium in Port Elizabeth. The move, which requires at least 4,000 police officers, follows a wage dispute between stewards, assigned to perform security inside the stadiums by the local organizing committee, and Stallion Security. The tournament's local organizing chief Danny Jordaan has expressed anger at the stewards, many of whom have been paid off for going on strike, but critics say organizers should have seen the dispute coming to avoid the diversion of a 41,000-strong police contingent deployed to protect teams and fans everywhere else.