BE questions MAI about police charge against protesters in Porto

O member of the Left Block (BE) Fabian Figueiredo questioned today the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) about who ordered the police charge against protesters in Porto and the reasons for the operation being made at dawn.

In matters referred today to the Ministry of Internal Administration, Fabian Figueiredo wants to know “who decided, on what basis, with what strength and with what injuries”, after the movement that organizes the so-called camp has criticized the action, which took place around 03:00 in Praça D. João I, causing 37 wounded.

“ Who determined the intervention of October 15 in D. João I Square, at what time and why? What police authority, pursuant to Article 32 of the Internal Security Act, has decided it? Was it requested by the City Hall of Porto? The Minister, the Secretary-General of the Internal Security System and the National Director of the PSP have been informed before or after?”, can be read in the letter sent by the deputy.

Fabian Figueiredo wants to know if there have been any arrests, if there have been people affected by filming the police action, if the portable cameras used by the agents will be delivered for image preservation, and what happens to the seized goods.

“ What was the ‘resistance’ that the PSP invoked, if the participants dismantled the tents and arranged them in a corner? What coercive means were used, by order of whom and with what justification, when the protesters already fulfilled the order? ", launches.

The bloquist deputy also confronts the government on the statements of the mayor of Porto, Pedro Duarte (PSD-CDS-IL), who Wednesday said that the protesters wanted to “provoking disturbances” by “international links to other forces” of some leaders.

“Do you consider the government acceptable that those who protect the Municipal Police announce on the eve that it will be ‘imlacable’ with a peaceful demonstration?”, notes.

On the other hand, he asks about “who decided that municipal services collect, under police protection, tents already dismantled, posters, banners and backpacks with documents, mobile phones and wallets? Was self-apprehension or inventory carved?".

BE wants to know how many agents were committed to the action, who authorized the action “and with what risk assessment, it is a peaceful camp of a few dozen people”.

“ Why was the operation scheduled for 3:00 in the morning? Does the government confirm that it began after the journalists left the site and that it took place without the presence of any media agency?", adds.

The movement for housing that has protested in Porto since Saturday, with a camp that began that day, denounced a police charge this morning that caused injuries in 37 of the participants, two of whom were in serious condition.

“ Early on Thursday, at 2:56 a.m., police forces intervened in the camp for housing in Praça D. João I, in Porto, in an operation to put an end to the protest ", says the movement in statement.

According to the movement, among the wounded is a disabled person and several participants in the concentration were hospitalized.

The participants again installed tents during the night, which were removed by the police, after the mayor of Porto, Pedro Duarte, said on Wednesday that it would be “absolutely relentless with any attempt to place tents” in the square D. João I”.

In today’s note, the movement “extremely denounces the use of extreme, disproportionate and unjustified force during police intervention in the camp, which remained peaceful from the first moment, without ever inciting violence”, considering the “unacceptable” burden and asking for responsibilities.

On Monday, the Municipal Police withdrew about 50 tents that were armed in the square, substantiating the chamber that the camp improperly occupied the public space, causing the protesters to sleep in the open, keeping the protest even without it.

On Wednesday, in a popular assembly, people voted to keep the protest and go back to sleep in tents, expressing the group’s desire to “continue growing and not only in Porto”, appealing to other cities, such as what is already called for Lisbon on Saturday.