400 Robocop style military police set to patrol the World Cup in Brazil next month closely resemble the cops depicted in Terry Gilliams cult 1985 classic film Brazil, in which a totalitarian government rules a dystopian society with a bureaucratic iron fist.

"The men are part of the elite BOPE unit of military police who operate in Rio de Janeiro and are usually on 24-hour standby to deal with the threats from terrorists – but they will now also deal with football hooligans who step out of line," reports the Daily Mail.

The cops are armed with M16 and M4 carbine rifles as well as fragmentation and stun grenades. Should anyone be confused as to the friendliness of the unit, its logo features a skull impaled by a knife surrounded by two golden guns.