Lisbon and Porto housing protesters face disobedience proceedings after police raids

Police dispersal in the early hours

In the early hours of Sunday, 25 October, the PSP broke up housing protest camps in Lisbon and Porto with batons and dogs. Officers detained 33 people for disobedience, 27 in Lisbon and six in Porto. The camps started on 10 October in Porto and later spread to Lisbon, where earlier police interventions involving force left dozens injured and detained. Protesters have invoked the constitutional right to demonstrate as grounds for refusing removal and dispersal orders, while the PSP bases its actions on a decree-law from 1974.

A separate group of 55 protesters was detained at Rossio, in Lisbon, when police removed the tents of the Lisbon camp on 20 October. They are suspected of disobedience for resisting that removal and were released the same day. They are due before the Public Prosecution at 10:00 on Tuesday, 27 October, at the Campus de Justiça in Lisbon.

Lisbon27

Porto6

Lisbon

27 people

Porto

6 people

Data from the article text

Two different court paths

At the hearings on Monday, 26 October, the 33 detainees were heard by a court and suspected of disobedience for ignoring dispersal orders. In Lisbon, the Public Prosecution proposed a provisional suspension of proceedings for the 27 detainees, which would require each of them to pay a symbolic 150 euros to a social institution. Lawyer Ricardo Sá Fernandes told reporters that no other conduct is imposed and that each defendant decides individually. To benefit, the defendants must admit the offence, and anyone who refuses or fails to comply will see the case go to trial. At least one Lisbon defendant has already said she wants to go to trial, and the decision is due to be announced on 6 November, when the 27 return to court.

The six detainees in Porto rejected a provisional suspension and will be tried on 13 November, according to the Juízo Local de Pequena Criminalidade in Porto. Lawyer Ricardo Salazar said the defence will ask for evidence and wants to examine the legality of the whole operation. He also argued that once constitutional rights are limited, the country is no longer a democratic state governed by the rule of law.

Injuries and official scrutiny

At least 27 people were admitted to the São José and Santa Maria hospitals in Lisbon, among them three security force officers. The Porto organisers report 37 injured, whereas the PSP says six people were hurt. Outside the court, Ricardo Sá Fernandes placed responsibility for the police charge on the Internal Administration, saying:

“The responsibility for that police charge lies with the Internal Administration”

He added that officers had received instructions to that effect and argued that the violence came from one side only, the PSP. The Ombudsman asked the PSP leadership for clarifications on Monday, 26 October, and the force has 10 days to respond. The Inspectorate-General of Internal Administration (IGAI) is investigating the operations, while a Public Prosecution inquiry under judicial secrecy covers the conduct of the PSP.

Protests due on Tuesday

At 10:00 on Tuesday, 27 October, the Acampada de Lisboa holds a vigil at the Campus de Justiça in support of the detainees. At 18:30 the same day, the platform Casa para Viver has called a rally in front of the Assembly of the Republic over what it describes as police violence against camps in Lisbon and Porto. By its own count the operations left about 60 injured, some seriously, and the platform says:

“Choosing the early hours to unleash dogs and charge with batons at people who were protesting peacefully is a political decision”

Tuesday is also the day the parliamentary general vote on the 2027 State Budget proposal begins. The Acampada de Lisboa has joined the rally and plans to set up its popular assembly in front of parliament afterwards.