Port Camp distributed 2,100 hot meals in six days

A Camped in Porto, which has a popular canteen running every day in the square of D. João I, distributed 2,100 hot meals between October 29 and November 4, announced today the movement.

The balance was made during the popular assembly, which began today at 8:30 p.m., after the first edition of the “Tendão” was distributed by the protesters, a newspaper of the camp that manages the distribution of meals.

According to the movement, between October 29th and November 04th, 130 medical care was also provided, 38 cultural programs were held (between workshops, concerts, sports moments and activities for children), 17 debates and conversation wheels, 53 interventions were made during the periods of open microphone and 45 tents were assembled.

Those present in the Square of D. João I approved by a majority “stay” in this space and by 10:00 p.m. 70 tents and several awning spaces were set up for people to shelter when it rained.

The popular assembly table also revealed to the approximately 2,000 people present that on May 27 the municipal company Ágora launched a contest for the “allocation of generators, electrical frames, electrical infrastructure, links to the network and lifting means for the year 2026”, whose specifications, consulted by Lusa, provided that an ice rink was installed in the Garden of Cordoaria and Largo Amor de Perdição and not in the Square of D. João I.

Several people booed at the change of track location.

On Friday, the Port House announced that it would be D. João I Square having an ice rink and that the assembly works start on November 13.

In response to Lusa, the municipality stressed today that “the decision to put a clue in Praça D. João I was prior to the realization of the various demonstrations for housing” and that “the option to re-enter Praça D. João I in the Christmas programming was developed internally during the preparation of the program, having the negotiation meeting with the representative associations of the sector on October 6, following a call sent on September 24 by Agora – Culture and Sport Porto”.

The current protests against the housing crisis began in Porto on October 10 and have expanded to Lisbon, but have also motivated concentrations in other cities.

The PSP's action to disperse the campgrounds and remove the tents in Rossio, in Lisbon, and in Praça D. João I, in Porto, led to dozens of arrests and caused dozens of wounded, motivating criticism from various quadrants.

The Public Prosecutor has meanwhile asked the Constitutional Court to assess the constitutionality of the 1974 rule which states that a demonstration has the time limit at 00:30.

The protesters demand, among other things, the reversal of the new rental law, a stop to housing purchase by real estate funds and “truely accessible” roofs to income.