Lisbon: Camped discusses Rossio's exit, but decides to stay tonight

A camped in Lisbon by housing decided today to keep the tents in Rossio during the night, leaving open the hypothesis of demobilization on Sunday.

The decision, taken in plenary of delegates by mandate of the popular assembly, arose following a proposal from Renata Cambra – the face of Rossio’s “legitimate sense” after a judicial decision – that the tents be removed tonight.

Renata Cambra suggested that the tents be removed tonight and that by next Wednesday another place be decided for the camp. And he also alerted a possible police entrance to the scene to remove the tents.

The proposal was not consensual and after much discussion ended up being referred to the plenary of delegates, a smaller group of campers, who voted to stay on site tonight.

Young people heard by Lusa were not explicit about whether the camp remains in Rossio from Sunday, stating that decisions are made every day.

During the popular assembly of this evening Renata Cambra proposed that the tents be dismantled in the following hours, with some of the attendees pointing out the “too much effort” to conquer the square, so they would not withdraw, adding that the day they left the Christmas market scheduled to be mounted in the square would occupy the space.

“ Neither the rain nor our lives will allow us to be here much longer, but it is not leaving at a time that suits them ", said a woman who has been sleeping in Rossio since the beginning of the camp.

To these messages Renata Cambra replied, in a warning tone: “I know we are not protected, the decision is a tactical decision”, leaving will be “taking control of the narrative” and being “one step ahead”.

Other interventions pointed to people's tiredness or the threat of rain, even though tonight they reached about 70 tents mounted in Rossio, some on pallets to prevent direct contact of tents with water in case of rain.

Tonight, without too much cold and no rain, hundreds of people were walking through the camp, listening to music or groups chatting and drinking.

Next to the improvised cafeteria, now improved and prepared for rain, a poster indicates what the participants need and on the list are sleeping bags, awnings and tarps.

On stage one sings, in the back, near where the tents are set up a group of bagpipes is listened to attentively.

On the night of downtown, it looks like Bairro Alto went down to Rossio.