Housing: MP investigates petardo in Lisbon and police in Porto

O Prosecutors are investigating the launch of a petard in Lisbon and the case of the police who exhibited a gun in Porto, in the context of demonstrations for housing, announced today the Attorney General's Office (PGR).

In a reply sent to Lusa, the RMP explained that, in relation to the launch of a petard in the square of Rossio, in Lisbon, and which led to the identification of a man by the PSP, an inquiry was launched that runs in the Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DIAP) of Lisbon.

This case took place on November 1, with a source of the PSP advanced to Lusa, at the time, that the man denied having been responsible for the launch of the petard detonated in the square Dom Pedro IV and “informed that he fled because he was persecuted by protesters who said he was an undercover police”, charge also denied by the same source.

In a few seconds, dozens of protesters identified and pursued the alleged responsible towards a fast-food restaurant located in the square, leading the safety of the establishment to descend the protection railings, blocking entrances and exits.

Regarding the case in Porto, the RMP stated that the episode involving a civilian police is being investigated in the context of the process that investigates police interventions that began on October 15.

On Thursday, the RMP announced the opening of an inquiry to investigate police intervention in the demonstrations for housing in Lisbon, after having announced that the Public Prosecutor is investigating the performance of PSP in Porto.

With regard to the demonstrators detained in the camps in Lisbon, the Public Prosecutor decided to refer the cases to the investigation in order to wait for the decision of the Constitutional Court on the existence of a time limit for concentrations, which means that the protesters cannot be judged and that there must be an investigation.

According to the source of the defense to Lusa, the decision applies to the approximately 85 protesters arrested by PSP for disobedience in the campsites of Lisbon in the early mornings of October 20, October 25 and November 1.

On November 2, the prosecutor asked the TC to assess whether the August 1974 standard that states that a demonstration has the time limit at 00:30 is unconstitutional.