The blockade

On the morning of 23 October 2026, students blocked the entrances of Liceu Camões and the Escola Artística António Arroio in Lisbon. Reports say eight entrances at Camões were closed, and staff and students arriving that morning found the gates shut. Observador reported that around 10:00 an official source at the school confirmed nobody could enter or leave and that classes were suspended until further notice. Diário de Notícias reported hundreds of students across the two sites, with about two hundred outside António Arroio, a little over a kilometre from Camões.

Accounts differ on how the entrances were closed. PÚBLICO and Observador describe padlocked gates, while SIC says no locks or chains were used and the blockade relied on posters and banners. Camões director Ricardo Frias told PÚBLICO that the students had committed to ending the protest by 12:00 and that afternoon lessons would be assessed late in the morning. He told SIC that the plan was to reopen the school in early afternoon.

Who is behind the protest

The action was organised by Estudantes pelo Fim ao Fóssil, a climate justice group, and Chumbado.pt, a student movement formed after problems with the correction of national exams this summer. The movement's Instagram biography calls it a group of students tired of minister Fernando Alexandre. University groups, including the students' association of the Faculdade de Belas Artes, also backed the protest. The spokeswoman, Matilde Ventura, said students had looked at the camps and asked themselves what they should do next.

“We are going to block the schools and show that we do not consent.”

Ventura accused governments of spending on war, weapons and fuels while cutting education, housing and a just energy transition, and demanded an end to fossil fuel use by 2030. Protesters also tie climate and education concerns to the housing crisis, the rising cost of living and active wars, which they say European states finance. In remarks to Lusa, Santiago Carrilho of Chumbado.PT said the government was ignoring the situation.

“They are destroying our future and Luís Montenegro decides to close his eyes to what is happening in the country.”

Inspiration from abroad

The organisers pointed to student protests in France and Spain and to housing encampments, known as acampadas, as their inspiration. In Lisbon the camp is on Rossio square, while in Porto it is at D. João I square, where Expresso reported the camp began about two weeks before 23 October and is spreading to the rest of the country. Observador reported that teachers joined the chants and spoke at António Arroio, echoing the students' concerns. Carrilho said the students hoped the action would plant a seed and spread blockades to schools across the country.

Next steps

Students described 23 October as the first day of protests and hoped more groups would join them. Carrilho said the students planned to stay until 18:00, the school's closing time, and wanted to occupy more schools, streets and squares in the following days. The Lisbon housing march organised by the Acampada de Lisboa is set for Saturday, 24 October, and the students planned to join it.

Organisers have also announced an international protest on 20 November, titled Lutar pelo nosso futuro, não nas guerras deles. According to the communiqué, it will bring strikes by students in more than 15 countries, a figure PÚBLICO attributes to the organisers.