Lisbon police clear housing protest camp, arresting 55 amid cross-border unrest
Portuguese police forcibly cleared a tent camp in Lisbon’s Rossio Square on Tuesday, arresting 55 people and seizing 228 structures. The action followed a similar dispersal in Porto earlier in the week, which Amnesty International condemned as excessive force. While Lisbon saw clashes and injuries, the Porto operation was initially calmer but resulted in significant injuries. Protesters, citing a severe housing crisis where rents exceed average salaries, vowed to continue demonstrations despite the police intervention.
Key points
- Lisbon police arrested 55 individuals and removed 228 tents from Rossio Square on Tuesday morning after ordering protesters to disperse within five to ten minutes.
- Clashes in Lisbon involved protesters throwing objects and forming human chains, leading police to use batons; approximately 30 demonstrators reported injuries.
- Amnesty International criticized the earlier Porto dispersal on October 15, stating police used disproportionate force against peaceful protesters, resulting in 37 injuries, including a person with a disability.
- Protesters in Lisbon moved to Praça da Figueira to demand the release of detainees and return of belongings, singing the 1974 revolution anthem and threatening to occupy the Prime Minister’s home.
- A new protest was scheduled for Rossio Square at 19:00 local time on Tuesday, with organizers insisting the movement would continue until housing demands were met.
Background
These events follow a broader wave of European unrest over housing and living costs, including violent riots in France and Milan. Portugal’s housing crisis is severe, with prices rising 124% between 2015 and 2024, and rents in Lisbon exceeding average salaries by 16%. The protests were inspired by similar actions in Spain following the eviction of an elderly woman.
How outlets are covering it
Euronews reported on the immediate police action in Lisbon, highlighting the arrests and clashes. The Guardian contextualized the Lisbon camp within a wider European trend of housing protests, noting the violence in Milan and the political response in Spain. Amnesty International focused on the legal and human rights aspects, specifically condemning the police use of force in Porto as disproportionate and unlawful, emphasizing the right to peaceful protest even at night.
Why it matters
The police crackdown signals a hardening of the Portuguese government’s stance against housing protests, despite the severe affordability crisis. The potential for further unrest is high, as protesters have vowed to continue demonstrations, and international human rights organizations are calling for investigations into police conduct, which could impact Portugal’s reputation on civil liberties.
What to watch
Protesters are expected to gather at Praça da Figueira and later at Rossio Square on Tuesday evening. Legal representatives are awaiting information on the condition of detainees and the return of confiscated belongings. Police have installed barriers in Porto to prevent protesters from returning to Praça D. João I.
- Lisbon police arrest 55 housing protesters and clear Rossio tent camp Euronews.com
- Portuguese police clear housing protest camps, arresting 55 Reuters
- ‘We are suffocating’: protests spread to Lisbon and Milan as housing and living cost tensions intensify The Guardian
- Portugal sees protests over cost of living and housing crisis as demonstrations sweep Europe Euronews.com
- Portugal: Police violence against peaceful housing protesters must be investigated Amnesty International
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