Government: Protest news in Portugal

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 Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública or PSP) moved in early Tuesday to dismantle housing protest encampments in Lisbon's Rossio Square and central Porto. Officers in Lisbon gave demonstrators five minutes to vacate before handcuffing and arresting several people who refused to leave, while protesters in Porto voluntarily took down their tents. Activists had pitched tents to protest soaring rents and demand affordable housing, planning actions leading up to an Iberian housing strike on 11 November. Organizers previously reported dozens of injuries following an earlier police intervention in Porto, which prompted warnings from authorities that public encampments would not be permitted indefinitely.

A police operation to clear a housing protest camp in central Porto's Praça D. João I left at least 35 demonstrators injured early Thursday morning. Officers from the Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública or PSP) intervened to dismantle tents after issuing dispersal orders, prompting sharp criticism from housing rights movements who denounced excessive force. The government backed the police intervention as lawful, while civic activist movement Porta a Porta announced plans for a weekend encampment in Lisbon and nationwide demonstrations across 30 cities on November 14.

Update: Protesters Regroup at City Hall as Leaders Debate Crackdown

Housing demonstrators marched to Porto City Hall (Câmara Municipal do Porto) and later returned to Praça D. João I for a popular assembly. Protest organizers reported that injuries climbed to at least 37, with seven people hospitalized, while one police officer was also hurt. Porto Mayor Rui Moreira and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro defended the police action, while President of the Republic António José Seguro urged demonstrators to respect the law and pressed political parties to find practical housing solutions.

Update: Organizers Disperse Porto Housing Protest Over Infiltration Concerns

Organizers called an immediate end to the renewed gathering at Praça D. João I early Friday morning after reporting that outside groups had infiltrated the crowd. Housing rights activists said they alerted police after identifying individuals carrying knives who intended to cause disturbances, leading organizers to clear the square and call for a fresh mobilization on Saturday.

Student associations from five higher education institutions called a demonstration in Lisbon on October 21 to protest the proposed unfreezing of university tuition fees (propinas). The draft 2027 State Budget ends the €697 annual cap on undergraduate degrees in place since 2020, indexing tuition fees to inflation starting in the 2027/2028 academic year. Protesters plan to gather outside the government headquarters at Campus XXI to oppose the fee increases.

Those arrested face charges of resisting police action, disobedience, and setting fire to street furniture

Thousands of teachers marched in Lisbon today in a protest organized by the National Federation of Teachers (Federação Nacional dos Professores or Fenprof). The demonstrators expressed opposition to the government's proposed labour package and the revision of the Teaching Career Statute (Estatuto da Carreira Docente), while also announcing their participation in a general strike scheduled for June 3rd.

Update: Teachers confirm participation in June 3rd general strike

Thousands of teachers gathered in Lisbon this Saturday to protest against the government's proposed labour reforms and the revision of the Teaching Career Statute. During the demonstration, Fenprof officially confirmed that teachers will join the national general strike scheduled for June 3rd.

The Permanent Coordinating Commission (CCP), representing major security force unions including the Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública or PSP) and the National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana or GNR), has announced a national protest for April 16. The demonstration will take place in front of the Prime Minister's residence in Lisbon to oppose legislative changes since 2005 that have reduced pension values for security personnel.

Demonstrations took place this Saturday in several cities across the country against the Government's housing measures.

Update: Protests spread to 16 cities amid rising costs

Demonstrators in 16 cities criticized the government for failing to curb real estate inflation, citing an 18% rise in house prices during the final months of 2023. Protesters highlighted the extreme difficulty of finding affordable housing, with some reporting room rentals costing as much as €500 per month.

More than 100 collectives have organized a series of protests under the slogan “It's not enough” (Já não dá) to demand better access to affordable housing. The demonstrations, scheduled for the coming weekend in several cities, show the growing gap between wages and rental prices. Organizers argue that recent government measures have failed to protect tenants from irregular rent increases and precarious living conditions. Tenants and those seeking housing should be aware of the protests in major urban centers.