Police Remove All Tents From Lisbon Housing Camp in Rossio
Police ordered housing activists in Lisbon's Rossio square to remove all tents on Thursday morning after demonstrators attempted to re-pitch their camp. Officers from the Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública or PSP) and the Lisbon Municipal Police (Polícia Municipal) intervened, stating that camping in the public square is prohibited without prior authorization.
The intervention followed an overnight assembly where more than 300 activists had agreed to take down dozens of tents and sleep outdoors after initial police warnings. Protesters remained in the square without shelter to demonstrate against escalating living and housing costs, while organizers confirmed plans for a larger national march in Lisbon on Saturday.
The PSP (Polícia de Segurança Pública) is Portugal's national civilian police force, founded in 1867. Responsible for defending Republican democracy and safeguarding internal security and citizens' rights, the PSP polices major cities—Lisbon, Porto, Faro—and large urban areas, covering only 4% of Portugal's territory but roughly half the population. Led by a National Director under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, its approximately 21,500 officers handle preventive policing, crime investigation, public order, airport security, diplomatic protection, private security regulation, firearms licensing, and border control (since 2023).
PSP vs. GNR: The PSP is civilian with police-focused training and urban jurisdiction, while the GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana) is military (gendarmerie) with military training, covering 96% of Portugal's rural and suburban territory. Both share core public safety missions but differ fundamentally in nature, training, and geographic responsibility.
The municipal police (Polícia Municipal) is a local administrative enforcement service operated by municipal councils in select Portuguese cities, notably Lisbon and Porto. Unlike national forces such as the Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública or PSP), municipal officers primarily focus on local bylaws, parking and traffic control, public space surveillance, and licensing checks. They do not investigate criminal offenses, though officers in Lisbon and Porto are drawn from PSP personnel and carry service firearms.
