Latest news and stories about housing protest in property 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.
The protesters also held a minute of silence “cuddled up” for the right to housing, something that is expected to happen at the end of every popular assembly from now on.
The protesters who have been gathering for several days in Rossio, Lisbon, to demonstrate for the right to housing, decided not to spend Thursday night in the square. They also decided to hold a minute of silence while huddled together.
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.
The encampment for housing in Lisbon will move to Marvila on Friday to participate in a vigil against the eviction of a family.
The Lisbon Camp movement has announced a new protest this weekend against speculation and for the right to housing, which will take place on Saturday at 3 pm.
This morning, housing protesters were demonstrating again in Rossio, Lisbon. Early in the morning, they set up tents again, but the police gave instructions for them to be removed. Follow all updates here.
While some disagree with the housing protest, others pass by to praise and support those who have been camping out in Rossio for several days.
The walls of both buildings were graffitied with the phrase “there is no future without houses”. The Mayor has already condemned the acts, which he considered “unacceptable”.
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.
The proposal put to a vote at the popular assembly held at Praça D. Pedro IV since 7:30 PM received 190 votes in favour and 270 abstentions.
The decision was made during another popular assembly, which is currently taking place at Rossio Square in Lisbon under police surveillance.
Protests for the right to housing are multiplying across the country. Coimbra, Faro, and Évora also hosted demonstrations.
On the day Luis Neves determined that “the encampments have ended”, protesters filled Rossio once again.
“The people will continue to exercise their right until it is inevitable that he listens to us.” The message to the Prime Minister came from a square that once again gathered around a thousand people. There was music, poetry, and a promise for Saturday: “We will return bigger and stronger.” For now, the movement's organizers will enjoy the “days off charitably granted by the action of police forces.” They have decided “strategically” to suspend communication with the press.
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”.
The housing rights protesters who were detained have been released. They will appear before a judge this Wednesday.
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.
Portugal’s Public Security Police (PSP) detained 55 housing protesters this morning for allegedly resisting when officers removed tents from the Lisbon Camp, situated in Praça D. Pedro IV, in Rossio. The post Police detain 55 housing protestors for disobedience appeared first on Portugal Resident.
The Mayor of Porto, Pedro Duarte, guaranteed this Tuesday that the municipality does not ignore the concerns of many people, explaining that he is willing to hear proposals, although he states he will not contribute to media circuses.
