Protesters burned tires in Brazil, blocking a major highway as BRICS summit leaders arrived Monday in Fortaleza to kick off the Sixth BRICS summit July 15-16.

More than 1,000 members of the Homeless Workers Movement — Integrantes do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Teto do Ceará/MTST — built barricades with burning tires and set fire to vehicles, blocking a highway in Fortaleza for two hours, according to RT.com.

Firefighters and highway police came to put out the fires.

Protesters demanded more housing in the area including homes for 2,000 families. They requested an appointment with Secretary of Cities of Ceará, Carlo Ferrentini, which has been scheduled for Tuesday.

Brazilians also protested over excessive government spending on stadiums and infrastructure for the 2014 World Cup.

A proposed BRICS New Development Bank will open in Shanghai, China, in 2016 and if approved, will engage in infrastructure projects — mainly in the BRICS countries — according to the news agency ITAR-TASS.

An agreement on the bank is expected to be signed July 15-16 at the BRICS summit underway in Fortaleza.