Portuguese police clear Lisbon housing protest camp in early morning raid

Dozens of police officers moved into Rossio Square in Lisbon at around 4:30 am on Sunday, Al Jazeera reported. Police used shields, batons, and police dogs to disperse housing protesters who had built an encampment in the city. The operation came a week after similar clearances in Portugal drew criticism from civil rights groups and demonstrators. [1]

Protesters had erected more than 50 tents in the square following a march through the Portuguese capital on Saturday, according to Al Jazeera. Thousands of people took to the streets during the march to demand that the government withdraw a rental bill, which demonstrators claim will worsen the housing crisis in the country. Police commander Iuri Rodrigues issued three warnings before officers moved in. [1]

The latest clearance follows similar police action the previous week. As FTMQ News reported earlier, police forcibly dismantled tent encampments in Lisbon and Porto using batons, which resulted in injuries and arrests. Days later, thousands of people gathered outside parliament in Lisbon to protest against rising housing costs and police force during those clearances. [5][6]

The country has faced ongoing social tension surrounding economic issues. Portugal joined the European Union in 1986 and participating in the Eurozone since 1999, maintaining a service and tourism based economy with a gross domestic product per capita below the European Union average. [4]