Latest news and stories about housing protest in government in Portugal for expats and residents.
Tents spring up in Lisbon as Portugal housing protests spread
Housing activists occupying Praça D. João I in Porto have resolved to maintain their encampment and formally invite Mayor Pedro Duarte to hold discussions directly in the square. The group insists on formal communications rather than individual contacts, preparing a collective list of municipal demands amid wider national protests over housing affordability.
In Porto, the gathering approved at a popular assembly begins at 16:00, at Praça da Batalha. The Marquês de Pombal roundabout hosts the Lisbon protest, which is expected to reach Rossio by 19:00.
The Popular Assembly voted against another night in the open at Rossio. Demonstrators will switch from Rossio to Marvila this Friday to advocate for a widow evicted by the Lisbon municipality.
In a statement, the movement announced that the demonstration titled “We don't have a home, we're setting up tents” will start at the Marquês de Pombal roundabout and end at Praça do Rossio.
The Lisbon Administrative Court has admitted an injunction filed by a demonstrator from the Lisbon housing protest to protect their rights and liberties, ordering the Ministry of Internal Administration and the Lisbon City Council to respond within 48 hours. The protest, which began at Praça D. Pedro IV, aims to secure the right to demonstrate until November 25th, the date of the final vote on the state budget, while committing to peaceful conduct and unobstructed pedestrian access.
Amadeu Guerra states that all solutions are being studied. The hearing for the 55 protesters has been postponed until Tuesday. Additionally, a new increase in petrol and diesel prices is expected.
The Public Prosecution Service will decide on Tuesday whether the housing protesters detained in Lisbon will face summary trial or, should they agree, have their proceedings suspended.
The PSP arrested 55 protesters who allegedly resisted when the security force removed the tents from the Lisbon Encampment.
The proposal to dismantle the tents and sleep in the open was the most voted, with 338 votes.
More than a hundred protesters spent the night in the open at Rossio. In the morning, they set up tents, but the PSP has already requested that they be removed. Also, at least nine people have died in Ukraine.
Around a hundred people slept in the open in Rossio. In Porto, the night was marked by the dispersal of protesters. Additionally, the Secretary-General of the PS again requests that the Prime Minister
Participants in the housing protest remain overnight in Lisbon without the use of tents.
Demonstrators advocating for the right to housing intend to remain in the Rossio square throughout the night.
Protesters participating in a housing rights demonstration remain overnight in Lisbon without the use of tents.
Around two hundred people present in Praça da República also voted in favour of holding a camp-in in Braga.
It was a confused vote, but the protesters at Rossio ended up deciding to camp in the square, with no intention of resisting if the authorities demand they leave. It was also approved to hold a new protest this Saturday afternoon in Lisbon.
CGTP states that it is necessary to “raise the level of the struggle,” but does not commit to an Iberian general strike on November 11th requested by the promoters of the housing protest encampment.
The decision was made during another popular assembly, which is currently taking place at Rossio Square in Lisbon under police surveillance.
Municipal Police have been called to the scene.
Protests for the right to housing are multiplying across the country. Coimbra, Faro, and Évora also hosted demonstrations.
A spontaneous gathering of hundreds of young people and students from the University of Minho in the centre of Braga sang Grândola Vila Morena, in solidarity with the encampments in Lisbon and Porto.
The Porta a Porta movement called a last-minute gathering at Largo da República. According to the spokesperson, the fight for housing must be decentralised.
Around 100 people in Évora and 50 in Beja gathered this Tuesday. In Évora, a new demonstration is scheduled for Friday at 6 pm in Praça do Sertório.
In the Baixa district of Coimbra, whether or not they were organisers of the initiative, participants held up various placards featuring slogans such as “Police violence is the first sign”, “Let Luís speculate”, and “I exist, therefore I inhabit”.
After the police (PSP) cleared the protests in Rossio Square and D. João I Square in Lisbon and Porto, and Luís Neves determined that “the camps are over”, demonstrators are filling them again.
Alberto Gonçalves is suspicious of the motives that unite the protesters who claim to be fighting for access to housing.
It began on October 10th in Porto, this form of occupying public space in protest for more housing.
The movement states that one person was allegedly injured after being assaulted by police forces inside the encampment.
