Thousands of people parade in Porto and warn that “they came to stay”

Mislanders of people are, this afternoon, walking through the center of Porto in protest against the cost of housing and warn that “they came to stay” until they are “heard and respected”.

Through the streets of downtown Porto the smell of chestnuts is mixed with protest words, posters and the “joy of those who fight for the future of all”.

The demonstration promoted by the Camped movement started from Batalha Square and the thousands of people who joined in protest are going through the center of Porto to D. João I Square, where there will be music, activities and a popular assembly, by 7:30 p.m.

The start of the protest was timid, close to the appointed time were gathered at the meeting point about 300 people, but “many more” joined.

“It’s beautiful to see”, he confessed to Lusa Maria Fontes, who at age 65 decided to “join the new crowd” because “this fight is for everyone, it’s not age”.

Through the street of Santa Catarina, several tourists try to understand what is happening. “We were surprised by this. But it's cheerful. Is it the price of houses? I will join”, decided a German tourist, who, without knowing what he was singing, tried to accompany the demonstrators.

For traders the day is also “not bad”.

“ Ends up bringing movement, more coffees sold and some waters ", pointed the owner of one of the cafes that the demonstration is going through.

The march stops, changes chants, claps and orders are made.

“Democracy is alive. We came to stay and they will not take us away from here”, they warn.

Between demonstrations and so-called camped, with hundreds or thousands of participants, the current protests against the housing crisis began in Porto on October 10 and expanded to Lisbon, but have also motivated concentrations in other cities, days after parliamentary approval of the new rental law, now under discussion in the specialty.

The initiatives, promoted by civic movements and spread across social networks, demand measures that respond to the crisis in the sector, the control of the prices of essential goods and fuels and defend taxes on the extraordinary profits of large companies in the banking sector.

On October 15, the protesting movement in Porto, with a camp, denounced a violent police charge during the early hours that caused injuries in 39 of the participants, two of whom were in a serious state, and in a police officer. In Lisbon, the authorities removed dozens of Rossio tents early in the morning of Tuesday and held 55 demonstrators, who will be present to judge on 27.