PSP warns that it will not allow tents mounted in Rossio during the night

A PSP warned today that it will not allow protesters’ tents for the right to housing to be mounted overnight in Rossio, Lisbon, stating that it will intervene if “the illegal camp” remains.

Noting that the PSP will favor the dialogue, police source told Lusa that the police will maintain the procedures of last week, not allowing the tents to stay overnight in Rossio.

In an official response sent to Lusa, the Public Security Police states that it will continue “to monitor and evaluate the evolution of the situation through a dynamic risk assessment, focusing on dialogue, communication, awareness and mediation in resolving possible situations”.

The PSP maintains that the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic and the law are the “referential of action” of the police, which guides its intervention “by the principles of legality, proportionality, adequacy and necessity”.

After the demonstration in Lisbon, which brought together thousands of people, protesters for the right to housing began to set up tents in Rossio in the afternoon.

The PSP also states that, so far, the demonstrations, which took place in several cities in the country, have occurred within normal limits.

“PSP respects and guarantees the exercise of the right of assembly and demonstration, constitutionally enshrined, but it is essential that the same takes place peacefully, with respect for the rights of other citizens, public order and tranquility and within the limits and constraints provided for by the law, including those applicable to the use and occupation of the public space,” the police also supports.

Thousands of people participated in the demonstration “We have no home, we have set up tents!”, who left from the Marquis de Pombal towards Praça do Rossio, where, since Saturday, the Lisbon Camp has gathered every day, except for Friday, the day he concentrated in the District of the County, to demand measures to solve the housing crisis.

The protests for the right to housing took place today also in other cities of the country, particularly in Porto where thousands of people also participated.

Two weeks after the start, in Porto, protests for the right to housing fulfill the promise of remaining on the streets until the government drops the new rent law and adopts measures such as the end of demolitions and wastes without alternative housing, the prohibition of housing purchase by real estate funds, the increase in public housing, the application of roofs to rents and the recovery of vacant real estate for housing purposes.

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.