Insecurity on Raimundo Street: Traders Demand Policing

Comerciantes and residents of a street in the historic center of Évora complain of insecurity, claiming consumption of alcoholic beverages and drugs and intimidation climate on the public road, and require policing and the installation of video surveillance.

Complaints about what they consider to be “the extreme gravity that one lives daily in Rua do Raimundo” are contained in an open letter addressed to the mayor, Municipal Assembly, PSP and other entities, to which the agency Lusa had access today.

Contacted today by Lusa, the mayor, Carlos Zorrrinho, revealed to have received the open letter along with a petition with about 370 signatures, on Thursday, during the public meeting of the chamber.

Also “the spokesperson [of the promoters of the initiative] had the opportunity to make [at the camera meeting] a description of a set of insecurity phenomena on the street,” said the Alentejo mayor.

Carlos Zorrinho indicated that Councilwoman Carmen Carvalheira, who has the core of municipal supervision, will promote a meeting between the heads of the Chamber and the group of traders and residents and the PSP to “find a fixed response”.

“ We have to apply the law, but law enforcement depends on a set of bodies that do not depend on the municipality. What depends on the municipality is to join these organisms and seek to create more security conditions on Raimundo Street ", he added.

In the open letter, the subscribers complain about “the indiscriminate consumption of alcoholic beverages on the public road throughout the day, harming the public environment”, as well as the sale and consumption of drugs “with total feeling of impunity”.

“ This reality wards off customers, impairs the normal functioning of shops and destroys economic dynamism,” says the group of traders and residents, alluding to “a climate of intimidation and degradation of urban space”.

In view of the situation, the subscribers of the open letter require inspection and patrolling, installation of a video surveillance system, control of the sale of alcohol by the establishments and intervention of social support teams.