Porto mayor and security union demand police action following nightlife violence

Nightlife violence in the Baixa

Private security representatives and city officials in Porto have reported an increase in violent crime across the downtown nightlife district known as the Baixa and Movida. The alerts follow violence during the early hours of Saturday, when a group of six tourists was robbed and beaten in the Galerias de Paris area by individuals selling drugs. Later that night, a customer attacked a security guard in the neck with a broken glass outside the Hora Extra bar. Cláudio Ferreira, president of the Unified Private Security Union (SUSP), stated that while physical altercations previously involved less severe clashes, door staff now face regular assaults involving broken bottles and knives.

There, in downtown Porto, not only has the number of crimes increased, but also their severity.

Vulnerability of private security staff

Ferreira, who worked as a doorman for 24 years including 12 years in the Galerias district, noted that many weekend incidents go unrecorded because visiting tourists leave the city without submitting formal complaints. He highlighted recurring issues involving group fights, attempted sexual assaults, and street sales of fake narcotics that turn into beatings when buyers realise they were deceived. According to the union, police coverage in the nightlife sector drops significantly overnight, with times when no officers from the Public Security Police (PSP) are visible after 04:00. The union has formally requested an urgent meeting with the Ministry of Internal Administration to address working conditions. Ferreira is urging authorities to reclassify assaults against private security guards as public crimes and to reduce administrative barriers for non-lethal self-defence equipment.

Municipal criticism of state policing

Porto Mayor Pedro Duarte criticized national authorities on Tuesday, describing the security gaps in the city as a failure of the state. Duarte emphasized that organized groups disrupting public order have already been identified, yet lack an adequate police response. He maintained that Porto remains an overall safe city, but insisted that residents and tourists must be able to use downtown streets without fear. The mayor also warned that unchecked public disorder risks negatively affecting tourism in the city center.

It is unacceptable and inadmissible that there are organized groups, which are identified, that disrupt public order without a response from the authorities. This is a failure of the state, it cannot happen.

Operational security plan and planned reinforcements

To address street safety, the Porto municipality is preparing an operational plan developed alongside the PSP, the Municipal Police, and other forces to enter field operations in early September 2026. The city administration is also collaborating with the Criminology School of the Faculty of Law at the University of Porto to build a research base against street-level drug distribution. Duarte pointed to commitments made by the central government in May 2026 to allocate 200 additional PSP officers and 80 municipal police officers by the end of the year, with recruits currently completing training. The municipal executive stated it will continue pressing the central government until these pledged reinforcements arrive.

Expansion of municipal video surveillance

The municipality has simultaneously expanded video surveillance across key urban sectors to support street patrols. A network of 79 security cameras has operated in the Baixa since June 2023, followed by 117 cameras deployed across Asprela, Campanhã, Estádio do Dragão, Pasteleira, and Diogo Botelho at the end of 2025. In July 2026, the city initiated technical studies to expand the network to 25 additional locations. Municipal officials are also evaluating the introduction of aerial drones and specialized street patrol vehicles to assist police units.