Lisbon housing camp moves to Restauradores after Rossio Christmas market

From Rossio to Restauradores

The Acampada de Lisboa, a protest camp for the right to housing, left the Rossio square after a Christmas market was installed there. A popular assembly on Friday, 13 November, made a return to camping conditional on an assessment of whether conditions allowed it. The group then decided on the night of 14 November to pitch tents at Praça dos Restauradores from midnight. Observador reported that the first tents went up around 23:40 despite heavy rain, that about 25 were standing within an hour, and that roughly 150 people gathered there. The movement's spokesperson, Loução, said the group had left Rossio only because of storm Charles, not because of the wishes of Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas, and accused the mayor of putting workers at risk by setting up the market the next morning.

Why the camp chose Restauradores

The camp described the square as a visible transit point, surrounded by public transport, where people could easily approach the protest. Spokespeople also pointed to the location at the end of Avenida da Liberdade, which they described as a street of luxury shops and hotels with few homes. Loução said the camp wanted to show that it wants a city oriented toward its residents rather than toward large retailers.

“We want a city for the people who live here, for Lisboners.”

The camp's organisation was described in detail by another spokesperson, Mariana Carneiro, who told Lusa that about 40 tents were standing at 10:00 on 15 November, some of them arriving during the night. She said the night had passed calmly and in order, with no disturbance of public order. Groups responsible for security, a care group offering physical or psychological support, and a person always present at the canteen were all in place.

“We have been well organised since the start of the camp and we continue that way.”

Protests and police response

The current housing protests began in Porto on 10 October 2026 and spread to Lisbon and other cities. On Saturday, 14 November, more than 30 Portuguese cities held demonstrations under a national call from the Casa Para Viver platform. Protesters demand a reversal of the new rental law, a curb on housing purchases by real estate funds, and caps on rents. The PSP said in a statement sent to Lusa that it would follow the situation on the ground with a posture of proximity and prevention, guided by legality, necessity, adequacy and proportionality. Earlier PSP operations to disperse camps at Rossio in Lisbon and Praça D. João I in Porto led to dozens of detentions and dozens of injuries, which drew criticism.

Plans for the coming days

The movement says the camp will continue its daily programme and popular assemblies, and that it will keep protesting in other forms as well. Its stated next steps are joining the CGTP demonstration on 21 November and gathering in front of the Assembleia da República on 24 November. Bloco de Esquerda deputy Fabian Figueiredo joined protesters at the square on the night the tents went up, according to Observador. The camp has said it intends to return to Rossio even with the Christmas market in place.