Lisbon housing camp protests outside Web Summit over city spending on event

Protest at the summit gates

Dozens of activists from the Acampada de Lisboa housing movement gathered on Thursday, 12 November, at the southern access to the Web Summit in Parque das Nações. The action, called Camp Summit, took place as thousands of participants left the Pavilhão Multiusos at the end of the day. Protesters wore paper masks of Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas (PSD), Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, Internal Administration Minister Luís Neves and Health Minister Ana Paula Martins. They handed out leaflets in several languages, English included, asking for 'millions for housing, not for the Web Summit'.

The movement's case

Spokesperson Lou Loução said the protest was meant to send a clear message to Carlos Moedas. She accused the mayor of putting money into tourist and mass events linked to large companies rather than into solutions for residents. The campaign ties the summit to tourism, gentrification and rising prices, which it says deepen the housing crisis.

“There is a clear message to pass to Carlos Moedas.”

Loução went further in her remarks to reporters, saying people still lack housing and that the mayor chooses to spend money on events instead.

“People still have no housing, no home, with unaffordable prices, and Carlos Moedas decides to use that money on events.”

Money and the leaflet

The leaflet handed out at the venue claims that the Lisbon council wants to sell 10 public plots for 60 million euros. It argues that land which could host public housing would instead pay other bills. The leaflet also calls that sum almost the same as the amount the Moedas executive has already given the Web Summit, which the municipality has backed since 2016. Asked about the summit CEO's remarks, Loução said she had only learned of them through the media.

Police and the organisers' plans

The PSP said the protest was notified outside the legal deadline, but that it had a prepared device for any eventuality. Subcommissioner Rúben Neves said police were monitoring the situation, as they do with any demonstration. The movement admitted the notice may not have fallen within the 48 hours required, but said it was exercising its right to demonstrate legally. Loução said no conditions existed for an overnight stay, and that the group's focus was a 'caderno reivindicativo' (list of demands) to be handed to the President of the Republic on Friday, 13 November. The camp had earlier left Rossio after a court ruling on the legality of its use of that square.

Web Summit's response

Web Summit founder and CEO Paddy Cosgrave said he welcomed anyone who takes part in a protest, and his only criticism was that the protesters should have started earlier in the week of the event. The summit opened on Monday, 9 November, in the late afternoon. Storm Charles forced organisers to cancel everything scheduled for Wednesday, 11 November, and the camp itself suspended its protests for a day because of the storm. Diário de Notícias put attendance at the event at around 70,000 people.

“My only criticism would be that they did not start protesting earlier, in the week of the Web Summit.”