Portuguese police with dogs and batons dismantle housing protest camps
Summary
Portuguese police dismantled housing protest camps in Lisbon and Porto early Sunday, arresting 31 people and removing 171 structures, according to police. The raids followed days of clashes as campaigners protested rising housing costs; police and protest organizers gave differing accounts of the number of people injured and the force used.Key Facts
- Officers cleared more than 100 tents in Lisbon’s Rossio Square and about 50 tents in Porto’s Dom João I Square.
- Police said 31 people were arrested for disobedience and 171 structures were removed.
- Police reported that 11 people were injured, including three officers; the campaign group Casa Para Viver said more than 20 people were injured.
- Reuters reported that 25 people detained in Lisbon were released and ordered to appear in court on Monday.
- Campaigners began setting up housing protest camps in Porto in early October, with similar camps later appearing in Lisbon.
- Portuguese house prices have more than doubled since 2017, while rents have nearly doubled, according to the article.
- Campaigners oppose proposed legislation that would make evictions easier and end rent caps on new leases; the proposal passed its first parliamentary reading.
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