Tens of thousands of people have celebrated at Rio de Janeiro's annual gay pride parade at Copacabana beach.
Under a blazing sun, revelers wearing feathery costumes and wigs held up rainbow flags and danced along the promenade on Sunday as music blasted from a half dozen sound trucks.
Organisers said this year's parade was focusing on passing legislation in Brazil that would allow adults to legally change their gender on identity documents and eliminate bureaucracy involved in sex reassignment surgery.
The event saw periodic scuffles as police chased thieves who targeted the large crowd to steal golden chains and mobile phones. At one point beachgoers watching the parade grabbed one suspect and beat him.
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